Seturumane impresses at Lekoa Classic 2021

• Thrilled by her golfing progress
• First female golfer to win the annual Lekoa Classic tourney

NTHAKO MAJORO

MASERU – Juliah Seturumane is elated by victory in her first outing to compete in the Lekoa Classic 2021 Golf Tournament in Free State, South Africa, a fortnight ago. The Lekoa Classic 2021 Championship attracted a total of 55 golfers who included the new champion, Seturumane. Among her 54 competitors, Seturumane faced 47 male golfers and six female golfers. Maseru Golf Club competed with 16 golfers in the event; 11 men and five ladies.

The 37-year-old Seturumane, who started playing golf 12 months ago, carded a final round score of 74; 38 on Day One at the Enfuleni Golf Course and on Day Two at the Maccauvcie Golf Course. Having come on fifth position on Day One, this saw her becoming the overall winner after both days’ results; and also becoming the first female golfer to win the annual Lekoa Classic golf tournament on Day Two, and the first female golfer from Lesotho.

This was after her male teammates from Maseru Golf Club, Teboho Tlaitlai and the club’s captain, Thabang Khabo, topped on Day One and Day Two respectively. “It was my first time ever playing outside the country and I am very excited about winning the tournament away from home,” said Seturumane in an interview with Public Eye last Sunday.

“I am over the moon, not only because I have won but also because it was my first time playing on bunkers.” Bunkers, according to the most recent rules of golf, are defined as a specially prepared area of sand, which is often a hollow from which turf or soil has been removed.

They are usually positioned on the sides of the fairway and are made to punish poor shots. Bunkers are designed to test a golf player’s ability to use different clubs (wedge, pitch) and skill to hit the golf ball out of the sand. “I haven’t played bunkers for some time since they were not played here in Lesotho because of the Covid-19 (as sporting activities were suspended indefinitely).

“So my main challenges were bunkers and also that the nature of the course was smoother than ours, and so when it came to putting it was a challenge for me.” Seturumane further said: “Again, the fact that it was my first time playing outside the country was another challenge for me.” Therefore, her victory did not come easy. She sweated for it. “It was tough. Male golfers were playing very well, especially on the first day. They were even more serious on the second day and so I had to up my game.”

Seturumane, who won a Monthly Golf Tournament here at home in September, said she intends to defend her title of the Lekoa Classic tournament. “Now that I am the defending champion I will definitely have to go back and defend it.” This was after Seturumane, who is a police inspector, failed to defend her September Monthly Mug.

“I did not play the October Monthly Mug because of work commitments.” She came on position six at the November Monthly Mug at the Maseru Golf Course last Sunday, which she also nearly missed after the Lekoa Classic. “I didn’t play well today. I think was still tired,” Seturumane said. “In fact, I was not intending to play at all.” The Maseru Golf Club captain, Khabo, commended Seturumane and her teammates for an impressive performance at the Lekoa Classic.

“Overall, the Lesotho team played very well. First Day Tlatlai topped and on the Second Day I topped,” Khabo said. “All our ladies who went there also played very well on the First Day,” he continued. “So from the Maseru Golf Club to Lekoa, especially for new golfers, was really an experience that they needed to go and play on different golf course.” Khabo thought his players did well because both Enfuleni and Maccauvcie Golf Courses were very flat compared to the Maseru Golf Club Course.

“Because those courses are a bit flat and not like the Maseru (Golf Club Course) they played very well.” Khabo further commended the Maseru Golf Club development coach, Motlalentoa Moloi, for a job well-done. “As the mentor at the Maseru Golf Club development, he has done a stunning job in terms of bringing up ladies and all the ladies, including the lady who has won today (the winner of the November Monthly Mug, Rethabile Liphalana), are his products.” Moloi, who is the only Lesotho professional golfer, also coaches Seturumane, among others.