Moodley leads South Africa's chase for Rookie honours at Platinum Ladies Open

Posted : 18 March 2025

Kaiyuree Moodley is currently leading the South African bid for The R&A Rookie of the Year award on the Sunshine Ladies Tour, entering this week’s Platinum Ladies Open in second place on the standings. Her strong start to her professional career has positioned her as a top contender for the prestigious honor.

This week, Moodley will compete in her fourth professional event, the 54-hole Platinum Ladies Open, which is being held at the Blair Atholl Golf and Equestrian Estate from Wednesday to Friday. The tournament boasts a total prize purse of R1,000,000, making it a significant event in the Sunshine Ladies Tour.

At just 23 years old, Moodley has already achieved impressive results in her brief professional career. She finished second in the SuperSport Ladies Challenge in early March and tied for third place in the Jabra Ladies Classic at the end of February. Her performance in the Jabra Ladies Classic was particularly notable, as she led the first round and recorded her lowest professional score, six-under-par 66.

Reflecting on her performance, Moodley shared her excitement after her third professional event, saying, "It was only my third event as a professional so it felt really good to shoot my lowest professional score. Everything in my game was fantastic." This milestone highlights her growing confidence and skill on the course.

With half of the eight tournaments of this year’s Sunshine Ladies Tour still to come, the competition for The R&A Rookie of the Year award is heating up. International players are also vying for the title, including France’s Lucie Malchirand, who is currently leading the standings after winning the Standard Bank Ladies Open. Scotland’s Lorna McClymont, who recently joined the professional ranks, is in third place.

McClymont, who finished second in the Jabra Ladies Classic in just her third tournament as a professional, shared her journey into golf, noting, "I got into golf when I was younger and my brother played. He was getting lessons at the time. So my mom and dad thought, let’s get Lorna lessons as well and that is kind of my story." Her family’s connection to the sport has played a significant role in her development.

The Platinum Ladies Open promises to be an exciting competition with a strong field of contenders, including Nadia van der Westhuizen, the winner of the SuperSport Ladies Challenge; Casandra Alexander, the champion of the Jabra Ladies Classic; and Danielle du Toit, who secured her first victory at the NTT DATA Ladies Pro-Am. These talented players will provide fierce competition as the race for The R&A Rookie of the Year intensifies.

Moodley leads South Africa's chase for Rookie honours at Platinum Ladies Open

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