South African Women’s Open, final round
-15 E Hamilton (Eng); -13 C Gainer (Eng); -12 P Babnik (Slo); -9 A Morgan (US), B Navarrosa (US), E Spitz (Aut); -7 M Haddioui (Mar), A Fanali (Ita), A Huang (Can)
Selected others:-6 A Fuller (Eng); -5 A Foster (Ire), A Hewson (Eng); -4 M MacLaren (Eng), H Screen (Eng)
Esme Hamilton held off a challenge from fellow Englishwoman Cara Gainer to win her first European Tour title at the South African Open.
Hamilton started the day as joint leader with Slovenia’s Pia Babnik and stayed the course to finish two shots clear of Gainer.
The 26-year-old endured a difficult front nine, picking up a bogey on the third and a double bogey on the ninth, but settled on the home straight to end the day with a two-under-par 71.
It is the first time Hamilton has laid her hands on European Tour silverware, at the 22nd attempt.
Prior to this week’s event in Cape Town, Hamilton had only managed two top-10 finishes.
Gainer, 30, went into the final round in third place, and a shot adrift of the clubhouse leaders, but a one-under-par 72 meant she fell just short.
Hamilton said she was feeling “a little bit sick” as she neared the end of the round, knowing she was on the verge of a first victory.
But that uncertainty turned to elation as she closed out the win: “I’m buzzing, really happy. I’m a bit lost for words. It’s something that I’ve dreamt about for a while. I’m going to make sure that I enjoy this because it’s a big one!
“The win will hopefully build my confidence and unlock a lot for me.”
Elsewhere, Bernd Wiesberger ended his five-year wait for a DP World Tour title by winning the China Open in Shanghai.
The 40-year-old Austrian finished the weekend on 19-under, three shots clear of second-placed Adrian Otaegui.