logo
Rhodes holds nerve to win Joburg Open

Rhodes holds nerve to win Joburg Open

BBC News06-04-2025

Joburg Ladies Open, final leaderboard-14 M Rhodes (Eng); -13 C Alexander (SA); -11 H Briem (Ger); -10 L Walsh (Ire)Selected others: -5 S Byrne (Ire); -4 C Williams (Wal); -3 K Henry (Sco)Full leaderboard
England's Mimi Rhodes kept her composure as she won the Joburg Ladies Open in South Africa by one stroke for her second consecutive Ladies European Tour title.The 23-year-old had started the day with a three-shot cushion and made three birdies as she carded a two-under round of 71 to finish top of the leaderboard at 14 under.South Africa's Casandra Alexander made a final-round 69 as she took Rhodes all the way to the final hole of the LET event."The nerves were really getting to me in the last couple of holes. We both hit birdies on 17 and walking down 18, I wanted to make sure I just didn't think ahead," Rhodes told the LET website, external."I just kept my focus out there and the play just went my way so really happy. Casandra did really well and kept the pressure on."Rhodes' victory at the Modderfontein Golf Club in Johannesburg was the LET rookie's second consecutive title after victory in the Women's NSW Open in Australia last month."It's amazing to win in another country and for it to be my second in a row," Rhodes added."It's given me a huge amount of confidence for the rest of the season and my pro career."It's honestly a dream come true - and to be playing so well so early in my career, I'm lost for words. It's just amazing and I can't wait for the rest of the season."

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Preparations underway as Dundonand Links set to host ISPS HANDA Women's Scottish Open
Preparations underway as Dundonand Links set to host ISPS HANDA Women's Scottish Open

Daily Record

time4 days ago

  • Daily Record

Preparations underway as Dundonand Links set to host ISPS HANDA Women's Scottish Open

The 2025 event will be the seventh time in 11 seasons that Dundonald Links has welcomed the world's best female golfers. Preparations are well underway at Dundonald Links as the acclaimed Ayrshire venue gears up to welcome back the ISPS HANDA Women's Scottish Open. Taking place from July 24-27, the 2025 event will be the seventh time in 11 seasons that Dundonald Links, part of Darwin Escapes, has welcomed the world's best female golfers for one of the highlights of both the Ladies European Tour and LPGA Tour. ‌ Defending champion, Lauren Coughlin, will return to the links, while world number one Nelly Korda is also confirmed to make her debut at the event this summer. ‌ Hopefuls will need to contend with the stern test poised by Kyle Phillips' acclaimed links course – in which undulating fairways, tricky pot bunkers and a stiff sea breeze all play a part – to earn the trophy. David Ross Nicol, director of golf at Dundonald Links, said: 'This is now the fourth year in a row that excitement has really started to build around the club as we begin preparations for the ISPS HANDA Women's Scottish Open. 'Of course it's a huge responsibility for everyone here at Dundonald, but it's such a privilege to watch the world's best battle it out on our course. We can't wait for the action to get underway.' The 2025 ISPS HANDA Women's Scottish Open marks the second year ISPS HANDA has been title sponsor, and the fourth consecutive year it has been held at Dundonald Links. ‌ The tournament returned to this venue in 2022 having previously been held annually from 2015 to 2017. Rob Wooddisse, golf course superintendent, said: 'The team are hard at work to ensure that the course is in immaculate condition ahead of the tournament. ‌ "We have been very proud to receive great feedback from players and caddies in previous years, so the bar has been set high, but we're excited by the challenge.' Also this summer, Dundonald Links will play host to Open Championship Final Qualifying for the third year in a row. Big names are expected to be in the field for what will be their last chance to earn a spot at the 153rd Open Championship at Royal Portrush Golf Club. ‌ Dundonald Links' popularity as a golf course took a major leap forward at the start of the century when Phillips completely redesigned the course, but it was a 2019 purchase by Darwin Escapes that elevated the venue into an acclaimed resort complete with accommodation, a popular restaurant and the award-winning clubhouse. Dundonald Links is one of three golf courses within the Darwin Escapes network alongside The Springs Resort & Golf Club in Oxfordshire and Kilnwick Percy Resort & Golf Club in East Yorkshire. Tickets for this year's ISPS HANDA Women's Scottish Open are now available via pre-sale access via this sign up link, and will go on general sale from June 10 at

NI boss Tanya Oxtoby reveals why Nations League promotion push requires a total squad effort
NI boss Tanya Oxtoby reveals why Nations League promotion push requires a total squad effort

Belfast Telegraph

time5 days ago

  • Belfast Telegraph

NI boss Tanya Oxtoby reveals why Nations League promotion push requires a total squad effort

If anything what goes on during an hour and a half on a rectangle of grass is merely the tip of a fairly large iceberg. Northern Ireland manager Tanya Oxtoby has talked regularly about the culture in her squad and after securing a Nations League promotion Play-Off gave an insight into the small things that she sees behind the scenes that are impacting when the whistle goes. The kind of actions that helped earn the 1-1 draw in Bosnia-Herzegovina that puts the team one step away from breaking into League A. Four members of the squad didn't see game time over the double header against Poland and Bosnia — back-up goalkeepers Abbie Smith and Kate Smith as well as Louise McDaniel and Rachel Furness — but it's about other things for the manager. 'I think when you talk about the culture of the group it's the fact that everybody adds value and contributes to what we're doing,' said Oxtoby. 'I said to them that whether you played or you didn't you know you've contributed to the success of this group and it takes everybody. 'The way in which this group goes about that and looks after each other, the travel day wasn't exactly smooth and to see in the airport the way they look after each other that pleases me no end because that is the foundation that you build team character and resilience on 'Credit to all of them, I thought they were great and from my perspective I'm just pleased for them and the staff.' Points tallies in groups only tell you so much. Northern Ireland's fortunes in the last three campaigns have fluctuated from earning seven points in the 2023 Nations League to eight this time around while in between collecting 10 in the Euro 2025 qualifying series — dropping two at home to Malta in the first game was a serious frustration at the time. Places are more important and finishing second behind teams of the quality of Portugal and Poland in the last two groups was not only an improvement on the previous one, it was realistically the best that could have been hoped for. Winning a promotion Play-Off and becoming a League A nation remains a big ask, especially as potential opponents Iceland, Belgium and Denmark have all qualified for the Women's Euro 2025 Finals and Austria were in Northern Ireland's group in 2022. Although Oxtoby took over a Northern Ireland team that was only 14 months out of a first ever major tournament and who had won four out of six matches after the Women's Euro 2022 Finals, it was always going to take time for her to make it her team. Her evolution of the squad, edging out the likes of former captain Marissa Callaghan and Demi Vance while also ending Julie Nelson's international career without ever calling her up elongated that process. With Rachel Dugdale restored to the squad, Ellie Mason and Megan Bell now playing regularly, Brenna McPartlan and Natalie Johnson capped for the first time under Oxtoby's management and the introduction of youth in the shape of Keri Halliday, Kascie Weir and Abi Sweetlove, her vision is starting to take shape. It will be the 2027 World Cup campaign or the next Nations League ahead of that tournament when the real judgement can be made. The very nature of the Nations League with teams playing against similar level of opposition rather than being in groups of varying ability does give a much clearer picture of where each individual country sits on the wider landscape. Poland proved they are better than Northern Ireland and showed the gap between League A and League B, but with better defending, a little bit more luck and not giving them early confidence after two goals inside 10 minutes they might have been beatable in a one-off game. 'In international football there are no easy games. That is the bottom line,' said Oxtoby. 'I said all along that this group was going to be so competitive and to come here away from home and grind out the result, as we did against Romania, we've done the job. 'I don't know any team in the world, whether that be club football or international football that gets it all their own way all the time. 'You've got to show character and resilience. You've got to win when it's not pretty, you've got to get results when it's not pretty and we've certainly done that . 'There have been times previously that we haven't, so for me that's growth.' That character shining through is a measure of the qualities Oxtoby's team possesses. Even within the last four months they staved off comebacks away to both Romania and Bosnia after conceding within a few minutes of taking the lead, came from behind with two late, late goals to beat Bosnia, who themselves had come from 1-0 down and survived pressure at home to Romania to see out a 1-0 win. Those things don't just happen. 'To manage the game the way we did — I thought we should have probably scored a few more in the first half and conceded a sloppy one — to show the character to make sure we saw the game out, at the end of the day, that's all that matters at this point,' said Oxtoby.

History-making Scots golf star spotted soaking up the sun ahead of remarkable comeback after THREE YEARS of injury hell
History-making Scots golf star spotted soaking up the sun ahead of remarkable comeback after THREE YEARS of injury hell

Scottish Sun

time6 days ago

  • Scottish Sun

History-making Scots golf star spotted soaking up the sun ahead of remarkable comeback after THREE YEARS of injury hell

Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) CARLY BOOTH hasn't played a competitive tour event since May 2022. But that's all about to change for the popular golf star. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 3 Carly Booth will be back on the Ladies European Tour this week Credit: INSTAGRAM/@CARLYABOOTH 3 The popular golf star will complete a stunning comeback Credit: PA:Press Association 3 She'll be hoping to be all smiles again after three years of injury hell Credit: Kenny Smith Photography Booth, 32, made history as a youngster when she became the youngest ladies' club champion when she was just ELEVEN. She went on to play in her first professional event aged 14, finishing an impressive 13 at the Ladies Scottish Open. Booth's early pro career was highly successful and she won her first event in May 2012 - the Ladies Scottish Open. Her second Ladies European Tour triumph came the following month when she won the Swiss Open. Booth would have to wait seven years for her third LET victory, triumphing at the Czech Ladies Open in August 2019. A hugely popular player, her athletic ability and occasional unleashing of some BACKFLIPS on the course earned her plenty of fans. But her golf career has been full of frustration in recent years, with injury absolutely wreaking havoc. First of all, she required shoulder surgery in 2020 before making a return. A freak accident in 2022 saw Booth slip in her kitchen, and she felt her knee pop out. The injury required surgery and in early 2024, she underwent the knife again to undergo a reconstruction of her ACL. Scots golfer Carly Booth pulls off daring backflip with the help of rugby hunk Max Evans Months later, she had an operation on her OTHER knee. In those days, a return to professional golf might've seemed a distant dream but this week, it will become a REALITY for Booth. More than three years on from her last LET appearance, she's part of the field for the Tenerife Women's Open. She revealed in a social media post late last year that she was eyeing a positive 2025. Booth said in October: "I have to admit, it's been tough having surgery on both knees this year. "A constant uphill battle, but feeling positive and making great progress. "Looking forward to what next year brings." The Tenerife Women's Open is back on the LET schedule for the first time since 2011. Booth and the rest of the field will head to Abama Golf on the west side of the island. Booth has already checked in to the impressive resort for some practice. She also shared a snap chilling out in a jacuzzi ahead of Thursday's opening round. Keep up to date with ALL the latest news and transfers at the Scottish Sun football page

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store