​​A total of 22 professional​ golfers and 65 invited amateurs took to the fairways at the Soweto Country Club on the Freedom Day for the Joburg Ladies Open Pro-Am.

Swaziland’s Nobuhle Dlamini, who claimed bragging rights in 2019 at very same golf course, was one of the heavyweights for the 2021 edition of Joburg Ladies Open.

For the first time this year, the City of Joburg introduced the coaching clinic at the back of the Pro-Am as part of promoting the sport among women.

The coaching clinic is one of the programmes designed to introduce more women to golf.

Among the aspiring golfers who had an opportunity to swing with the professionals were the City’ female members of the mayoral committee and other prominent women in the City.

The MMC for Community Development, Cllr Margaret Arnolds, MMC for Group Corporate and Shared Services Cllr Loyiso Masuku, MMC for Health and Social Development Cllr Eunice Mgcina, the Chairperson of EISD Section 79 Committee, Cllr Matshidiso Mfikoe and Chair of Chairs Cllr Salphinah Mulauzi teed off yesterday.

Speaking to Joburg Pulse FM, the City online radio station, MMC Mgcina said she was exited to hold a golf club for the very first time and actually play and learn about the sport.

She credited the City’s efforts to promote the sport among women. “I still want to see more women participating in the sport more especially young women as you can see the sport is predominately for man, if you look at all the caddies  here are men, I feel women need to get involved even more in the sport,” she said.

City of Johannesburg’s Director of Events, Bongi Mokaba, said she was pleased that the Joburg Ladies Open Pro-Am had gone exceptionally well and assured the golfers and everyone involved in the tournament that the precautionary measures will continue for the duration of the tournament.

“We are adhering to Covid-19 regulations and protocols for non-contact sports. We don’t want Joburg Ladies Open Pro-Am to be a super spreader event that is why we ensured that the event complies with adjusted Level 1 lockdown regulations by conducting on site testing and screening as a precautionary measure for all professional golfers, caddies as well as tournament staff,” said Mokaba.

Astrid Vayson De Pradenne clinched the honours with 89 points in the first place, followed by Rachel Taylor 87 points, Tara Griebenow 83 points, and Jane Tuner 82 in the second, third and fourth place respectively, while Stacey Mogale was nearest the pin – 7th hole amateurs and Ethel Nyembe had the longest drive – men’s 16th hole amateurs to wrap the day at the Joburg Ladies Open Pro-Am prize-giving function.

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