Lesotho golfer set to turn professional

NTHAKO MAJORO

MASERU – One of the country’s most promising amateur golfers, Rethabile Liphalana, is embarking on a historic journey, preparing to compete at a professional level. As the first female golfer from Lesotho to reach such heights, Liphalana is determined to carve her name in the annals of African golf. Following in the footsteps of Motlalentoa Moloi—Lesotho’s only other professional golfer.

With a competitive spirit honed on Lesotho’s golf courses, Liphalana’s ambition goes beyond personal glory. She seeks to break barriers in a sport long dominated by men, all while representing her nation on the global stage. “I think next year I should be eyeing something better. I need to go beyond Mohokare,” Liphalana said in an exclusive interview with Public Eye.

Her reference to the Nedbank Mohokare Golf Classic is telling; it is the tournament where her prowess was first noticed, and it is where she begun to envision her future as a professional. Liphalana has already made waves in this local tournament, which has become her training ground. Her career began with a bang when she won the 2022 Nedbank Mohokare Golf Classic. Last year, she followed up as the overall runner-up and winner in the women’s category. And in 2024, though she finished third overall and second among women, her sights were set far beyond the tournament.

Liphalana revealed that her preparation for this year’s competition was not ideal. “To be honest, I was not expecting to finish among the top golfers. I just played by experience,” she said. Even when not at her best, her performance remains impressive. Competing across two courses— the Maseru Golf Club and the Ladybrand Golf Club—she demonstrated resilience and skill.

“I made a terrible mistake on hole 17 in Ladybrand, but I managed to recover on hole 18,” she said.  The latter hole provided a strong finish to her round, marked by three birdies.  Her first day at the Maseru golf course, however, was challenging.  “I struggled the whole day on the first day. I shot 36, and it was bad,” she said. Yet, despite the early difficulties, Liphalana’s ability to bounce back became evident on the second day in Ladybrand, where she played with renewed focus and determination.

This contrast between the two days highlights her ability to learn and adapt. The Maseru Golf Club, as Liphalana explained, is a tricky course. “It is not difficult, but if you make one mistake, it is hard to recover.”

In contrast, the Ladybrand Golf Club’s length suits her strengths, as evidenced by her winning the prize for the longest drive.  “I hit 245 from the ladies’ tee box, the longest drive of my career,” she said with pride. Beyond this year’s Nedbank Mohokare Golf Classic, Liphalana is now gearing up for her professional debut in 2025. Her ambition to enter the professional circuit has been a long time coming, and she is cautiously optimistic about the future.

“I think I will start by February next year, and I am taking it slowly,” she said, revealing that her career has been delayed by work commitments.

Nonetheless, her passion for the sport remains unwavering, and she is ready to fully embrace the challenges of professional golf. Liphalana’s goals are clear: to lower her handicap and improve her performance. Currently playing with a handicap 18, she has set her sights on a single handicap.

“The plan is to play with a single handicap from next year,” she said, a significant improvement from her early days when she played with a handicap of 33. Her journey to becoming a professional golfer is not just about personal achievement; it’s about breaking new ground for women in sports. Liphalana’s presence in the professional arena will inspire young girls across Lesotho, showing them that no dream is too far-fetched.

She is not only a talented golfer but also a trailblazer, representing the growing potential of women’s sports in a country that has long been underrepresented in international athletic competitions.

As she prepares for her professional debut, Liphalana’s story is a testament to perseverance, talent, and the power of dreams.