Paula Reto tied for lead in SuperSport Ladies Challenge
22 February 2024 - 20:04
byMICHAEL VLISMAS
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Paula Reto and her caddie, Abimbola Olakanye. Picture: SUPPLIED
US-based South African Paula Reto may have looked a like a fish out of water when she bogeyed the second and third holes on the second day of the SuperSport Ladies Challenge on Thursday, but the rest of her round at the Lost City Golf Club went swimmingly as she claimed a share of the lead.
Reto went on a run of five birdies in six holes from the fifth hole, and added back-to-back birdies on the 13th and 14th holes, before returning from a lightning delay with another gain on the 17th.
Her superb six-under-par 66 lifted her to eight-under overall and she will go into the final round tied for the lead with India’s Tvesa Malik, who fired a stunning 65.
The 33-year-old Reto won this tournament in 2022, but it was then played at the Gary Player Country Club (GPCC). But after a tough 2023 campaign on the LPGA Tour, Reto is in a good frame of mind back in her home country, and it showed in her ability to bounce back from two early setbacks on Thursday.
“I don’t know what happened really, I hit a bad tee-shot on the second and suddenly I’d gone bogey-bogey. I just said to myself that I must give myself opportunities and fortunately I then managed to get the ball close to the hole a few times, and chipped in on the eighth, which is always nice for your momentum,” Reto said.
“Lost City is completely different to the GPCC, you have to strategise more off the tees, it’s a course that requires more thinking. To be able to bounce back after those two bogeys felt really good and I was very happy that I kept to the plan. I was able to stay on plan and not let the bogeys get to me.”
Getting married on December 29 to fellow Indian professional golfer Ajeetesh Sandhu seems to have benefited Malik as she produced an outstanding, bogey-free round with four birdies on the back nine and then three on the front.
First-round leader Lauren Taylor shot a 70 on Thursday to move to six-under-par, two off the lead, while exciting SA youngster Gabrielle Venter shot 68 on Thursday to move to five-under.
Support our award-winning journalism. The Premium package (digital only) is R30 for the first month and thereafter you pay R129 p/m now ad-free for all subscribers.
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Paula Reto tied for lead in SuperSport Ladies Challenge
US-based South African Paula Reto may have looked a like a fish out of water when she bogeyed the second and third holes on the second day of the SuperSport Ladies Challenge on Thursday, but the rest of her round at the Lost City Golf Club went swimmingly as she claimed a share of the lead.
Reto went on a run of five birdies in six holes from the fifth hole, and added back-to-back birdies on the 13th and 14th holes, before returning from a lightning delay with another gain on the 17th.
Her superb six-under-par 66 lifted her to eight-under overall and she will go into the final round tied for the lead with India’s Tvesa Malik, who fired a stunning 65.
The 33-year-old Reto won this tournament in 2022, but it was then played at the Gary Player Country Club (GPCC). But after a tough 2023 campaign on the LPGA Tour, Reto is in a good frame of mind back in her home country, and it showed in her ability to bounce back from two early setbacks on Thursday.
“I don’t know what happened really, I hit a bad tee-shot on the second and suddenly I’d gone bogey-bogey. I just said to myself that I must give myself opportunities and fortunately I then managed to get the ball close to the hole a few times, and chipped in on the eighth, which is always nice for your momentum,” Reto said.
“Lost City is completely different to the GPCC, you have to strategise more off the tees, it’s a course that requires more thinking. To be able to bounce back after those two bogeys felt really good and I was very happy that I kept to the plan. I was able to stay on plan and not let the bogeys get to me.”
Getting married on December 29 to fellow Indian professional golfer Ajeetesh Sandhu seems to have benefited Malik as she produced an outstanding, bogey-free round with four birdies on the back nine and then three on the front.
First-round leader Lauren Taylor shot a 70 on Thursday to move to six-under-par, two off the lead, while exciting SA youngster Gabrielle Venter shot 68 on Thursday to move to five-under.
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