Cell C SA Women’s Open
Lizzie Currie
On the last day of last week’s Golf Inter-Provincials in
Cape Town, Port Shepstone’s young Lizzie Currie got a fantastic surprise, a
phone call inviting her to participate in this week’s Cell C SA Women’s Open.
Catching up with the amateur golfer as she frantically
fills in registration forms, she admits, “I am feeling super excited but on the
same hand extremely nervous. It is such a wonderful opportunity; I would have
been crazy to turn it down. I am going into the tournament to learn as much as
possible.”
Continuing, the upbeat golfer says, “I am lucky that I
have played the course a few times. My first time playing a round was actually
at San Lameer.” She says with a chuckle. “I owned a set of golf clubs by my
choice of sport at school was cricket. My cricket coach, Anthony Mulligan from
Creston College came up to me and asked if I could help out the golf team as
they were a player down. I agreed to it and the next day was playing my first
round at San Lameer.”
“It was only after school when a friend of mine, David
Rush suggested I have a session with Nicola Eaton who had returned from America
and had started coaching. Let’s just say I was a natural. I still have so much
to learn, at the moment I am working hard on my mental game and learning to
build my confidence.”
Nearing the end of her second gap year after
matriculating from Southcity, the determined sport star is planning on studying
via correspondence. “I am going to be doing studying Business Management next year
while helping my Mom out at her work. The
flexibility of correspondence allows me to focus both on working with Mom and
getting hands on experience but also gives me the freedom to continue my dream
of turning pro.”
“I remember watching my golfing hero, Lee-Anne Pace
taking part in the SA Women’s Open in
2012. She fluffed a shot but her attitude and reaction remains with me to this
day. She wasn’t ruffled; she smiled and was so positive that nothing was going
to get her down, a lesson that we all can learn when curve balls are tossed at
us. Her attitude was awesome.”
“I got to meet her and she autographed my book. When I was
watching the tournament, she even remembered who I was and acknowledged me on
the side lines. A true legend!”
Chatting to the South Coast legend in the making, she has
the support of her entire family, “Everyone except my Mom plays golf, even my
two nephews’ play – they are actually pretty good for their age. My older
brother, Donovan is going to be on my bag which will be great having his
support.”
On concluding, her advice that she lives by, “Never,
never give up.”
We watch keenly as our local player takes on the worlds
best this week and hope that she persists and does Port Shepstone proud!
Pix by Justin Klusener
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