Golfers Go Wild in South Africa
Ladies
European Tour golfers Chloe Leurquin and Patricia Sanz Barrio experienced the
ultimate rush when they launched themselves off the edge of Oribi Gorge ahead
of the Cell C South African Women’s Open.
Both
of the Ladies European Tour rookie golfers did the world’s highest gorge swing
to claim their bragging rights on the eve of this week’s international golf
tournament at San Lameer Country Club on the Hibiscus Coast of KwaZulu-Natal,
south of Durban.
Leurquin, 24, from Waterloo Golf Club in Waterloo, Belgium, was fearless as she jumped from the edge of a cliff into a free fall from 165 metres before swinging through the breath taking scenery in the bottom of the gorge. She was followed by Sanz, 24, from RACE Golf Club in Madrid, Spain, who bravely overcame her last-minute apprehension.
Years
of sports psychology could not prepare the golfers for the ‘Wild 5 Adventure.’ Sanz
said: “It was amazing. I cried a little bit, a little bit of excitement, but I
would do it again. It was a great mental battle. In golf, you get nerves, but
not real fear. You might miss a putt, but you’re not going to die or anything.”
Leurquin
said: “I’m not very scared of heights and stuff, so I just did it, and the rope
is just so heavy it’s pulling you down and when he says ‘1, 2, 3’, you just
have to go. It was cool and I wish I could do it again! Doing this and golf…
you just cannot compare it.”
After
their adrenaline rush, the players enjoyed a sight-seeing visit and lunch at
Leopard Rock, a stunning venue with an outside deck enjoying panoramic views
over Oribi Gorge and just one and a half hours drive south of Durban.
Leurquin
and Sanz are now both targeting their first wins on the Ladies European Tour in
the €320,000, or R4.5 million, Cell C South African Women’s Open, which gets
under way over four rounds of stroke play from Thursday to Sunday.
Leurquin,
a graduate in Business and Mechanical Engineering, earned her first victory as
a professional at the Mineks Ladies Classic in Turkey on the Ladies European
Tour Access Series (LETAS) last year before finishing fourth on the order of
merit to graduate to the main Ladies European Tour, where she has posted a best
finish of tied 28th at the Lacoste Ladies Open de France this
season.
Sanz,
a graduate in Biomedical Science, won the Grecotel Amirandes Ladies Open in
Crete on LETAS last year and posted three second places, before finishing as
the runner up on the order of merit. She also progressed to the Ladies European
Tour this year, where she has recorded a season-best tie for 12th at
the Allianz Ladies Slovak Open presented by Respect.
Entry
is free to the Cell C South African Women’s Open this week, with domestic
television coverage on SABC and SuperSport.
Words and pix by Bethan Cutler
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