Kaiyuree Moodley posted the lowest round of her short professional career when she opened with a six-under-par 66 to lead the R1 million Jabra Ladies Classic by a single shot at Westlake Golf Club on Wednesday.
In only her third tournament as a professional, the 23-year-old South African led the first round against a strong field of local and international campaigners including French professional Lucie Malchirand, who came into this tournament fresh of a maiden victory on the Sunshine Ladies Tour, defending champion Cara Gorlei, the current Investec Order of Merit leader, Danielle du Toit, as well as seasoned South African professional Lee-Anne Pace.
Moodley, who started playing golf at the age of five with a plastic golf set, produced a bogey-free round in which she did most of her scoring on the back nine. After turning in two under, Moodley started the back nine with two consecutive birdies and then added further birdies on the 13th and 16th holes to take the lead.
“It felt really good, everything in my game was fantastic, especially on the back nine. I think something just lit up in me,” she said.
Having set the pace for this tournament. Moodley said she is focused on pushing even harder in the second round as she chases a maiden victory in her rookie season on the Sunshine Ladies Tour.
“I’ll definitely be attacking. It's not really in my nature to play it safe, so definitely attacking and giving myself the best shot that I can.”
Scotland’s Lorna McClymont and South Africa’s Lora Assad and Gabrielle Venter are her nearest challengers after all opening with rounds of five-under-par 67.
SCORES
66 - Kaiyuree Moodley
67 - Lorna McClymont (SCO), Lora Assad, Gabrielle Venter
69 - Sofie Kibsgaard (DEN), Andrea Lignell (SWE)
71 - Kajal Mistry, Lenanda van der Watt, Ellie Vorster (CAN), Anne-Charlotte Mora (FRA), Bonita Bredenhann (NAM), Casandra Alexander
72 - Demi Flanagan, Cara Ford, Pasqualle Coffa (NED), Vidhatri Urs (IND), Chloe Salort (FRA), Gudrun Bjorgvinsdottir (ISL), Bronwyn Doeg, Stacy Bregman, Lucie Malchirand (FRA)
73 - Hannah Karg (GER), Isabella Deilert (SWE), Harang Lee (ESP), Andrea Bergsdottir (ISL), Karoline Lund (NOR), Tiia Koivisto (FIN), Madelene Stavnar (NOR), Ivanna Samu, Kiera Floyd, Tereza Melecka (CZE), Kylie Henry (SCO), Anne-Lise Caudal (FRA)
74 - Lindi Coetzee, Ananya Garg (IND), Olivia Mehaffey (NIR), Thalia Martin (ENG), Emma Grechi (FRA), Brittney-Fay Berger, Cara Gorlei, Tandi McCallum, Emie Peronnin (FRA), Lee-Anne Pace, Danielle du Toit
75 - Abigail O'Riordan (IRL), Rosie Belsham (ENG), Chante van Zyl, Louisa Carlbom (SWE), Corinne Viden (SWE), Elina Nummenpaa (FIN), Tara Griebenow, Hannah Arnold (USA), Nina Pegova (WHT)
76 - Nayanika Sanga (IND), Isabella Holpfer (AUT), Marta Perez Sanmartin (ESP), Michelle Forsland (NOR), Shawnelle de Lange, Nikki Hofstede (NED), Anais Meyssonnier (FRA), Laura Beveridge (SCO), Maiken Bing Paulsen (NOR), Jane Turner (SCO), Nadia van der Westhuizen, Florentyna Parker (ENG)
77 - Natasha Fear (ESP), Kim de Klerk, Linn Wiberg (SWE), Celina Sattelkau (GER), Sara Kjellker (SWE), Clara Pietri (SUI), Louise Duncan (SCO), Vanessa Knecht (SUI), Lauren Taylor (ENG), Ana Dawson (IMN), Hayley Davis (ENG), Helen Kreuzer (GER), Nobuhle Dlamini (SWZ)
78 - Jessica Bailey (ENG), Zethu Myeki, Carolin Kauffmann (GER), Romy Meekers (NED)
79 - Shannon O'Dwyer (ENG), Hanna Tauber (GER), Emma Falcher (FRA), Emily Penttila (FIN)
80 - Carey Dodds, Tijana Kraljevic, Lize-Mari Prinsloo, Sophie Witt (GER), Isabella van Rooyen
81 - Chante de Lange, Claire Minter (ZIM), Symone Henriques, Katherine Hollern (USA), Chantal Dueringer (AUT)
82 - Eloise Healey (ENG), Jahaanvie Walia (ZAM), Paris Hilinski (USA)
83 - Kelsey Nicholas
84 - Amy Fletcher, Katrina Gillum (ENG), Selena Costabile (CAN), Judith van der Voort (NED)
85 - Vicki Traut (a)
86 - Leontine Petit (FRA)