Lee-Anne sets pace in SA Open

THREE-TIME champion Lee-Anne Pace made an eagle at the 16th hole yesterday on her way to a two-underpar 70 in the first round of the South African Women’s Open at Westlake Golf Club in Cape Town.

That gave her a share of the lead with Lydia Hall of Wales, and the pair had a one-stroke lead over 2009 champion Tandi McCallum and fellow South African Nicole Garcia.

Sweden’s Johanna Gustavsson and India’s Tvesa Malik shared fifth on even-par.

“It was one of my goals to have a good start today,” said Pace.

Although she turned in at level par after starting her round on the 10th, it turned out that two-under was more than good enough.

“I did know it was playing tough, and thought that anything around level-par or a little bit under would be a good round,” Pace said.

Pace was even-par after the turn until the par-five seventh hole, which was 459 metres and players had to flirt with the water if they wanted to make the green in two to go for the eagle.

“I went for the drive to get it a bit further down there,” Pace explained.

“I had 220m to the pin, 190m for the front, so it was a perfect threewood for me. It bounced straight, which was great, because you can get a wicked kick sometimes, and I made the six-foot putt.”