Gutsy comeback seals victory for Louw in Nomads SA Girls

San Lameer, 5 July 2025 – Kesha Louw bounced back from a disastrous opening round in sensational fashion to win the Nomads SA Girls Championship by a commanding eight shots at San Lameer Country Club.

Louw closed with a composed two-under-par 70 to finish the 54-hole event on three-over-par, leaving Centurion’s Megan Marais trailing in second on 11-over. Casey Twidale from Eagle Canyon rounded out the top three on 13-over.

The tournament got off to a brutal start in blustery conditions.

Mount Edgecombe’s Louw carded a 10-over 82 in the opening round, which included a devastating quintuple-bogey 10 on the 17th. Despite being five shots off the lead held by Phenyo Sebata, Lee-Ann van der Merwe, and Marais, she refused to let the setback define her tournament.

“After shooting 82 on the first day, I was really down,” admitted Louw. “I was upset about a few shots, but coming back on the second day and shooting five-under made me really happy.”

That remarkable second-round 67 changed the momentum completely. Louw was flawless on the front nine, with three birdies and no drops, before adding another trio of birdies from the 12th hole. Though bogeys on 15 and 16 briefly stalled her charge, she bounced back with a birdie on the 17th — the hole that had nearly derailed her campaign.

Heading into the final round tied with Gia Raad, who had posted rounds of 77 and 72, Louw faced stiff competition. Zayaan Hendricks was also in the hunt, just two shots back after a 74 in round two.

The final round turned into a gripping contest early on, but it was Louw who held her nerve. She made five birdies to offset a triple-bogey on the 8th, while Raad endured a nightmarish stretch from the 6th to 11th holes, dropping 13 shots in that span. Hendricks slipped to an 81, and the title was firmly in Louw’s hands.

“I was really nervous coming into the last round, playing with Zayaan and Gia,” said Louw. “Gia and I are really good friends, and it’s tough when one of us starts struggling. But I just told myself to keep things simple — hit fairways, find greens, and make putts.”

Her final-round 70 was the only under-par score of the day, underlining her composure and dominance.

“It’s always been my dream to win this one,” said an emotional Louw. “It’s amazing, especially since it’s my last year as a junior. It meant a lot to have my parents and my brother there watching.”

The victory adds a significant milestone to Louw’s junior career and a powerful statement about resilience and competitive spirit.