Lee-Anne Pace is poised to make golfing history on Saturday by becoming the first South African to win the Ladies European Tour’s Henderson Money List (formerly known as the order of merit).
Only veteran Laura Davies of England can stop the Mossel Bay 29-year-old. Both players have won five tournaments each this season, tying Gwladys Nocera for second position behind Marie-Laure de Lorenzi with seven in 1988.
Pace is determined not to let Davies steal the title as she could become the first South African to top the European rankings in the 32-year history of the LET.
She is not fazed by Davies, the 79-time tournament champion, who has finished in the top five spots in all of her three appearances at Emirates Golf Club in Dubai.
“Of course, she is a great player. She's won so many tournaments and she's got all of the experience in the world,” said Pace, who won tournaments in Switzerland, Wales, Finland and two in China. “At the same time, I'm still on form and playing really well. I don't see myself worrying about her simply because I have to do what I have to do. I can't think of how she's going to play. In order for me to win the tournament, I have to do the same things that I have been doing, so that's my goal for the week.
“She's an amazing player. I think she's been… my golf this year has been really good, because of course to compete against somebody like her and to be able to compete successfully against her, means a lot to me, and obviously the competition has pushed me to a different level to win tournaments when I had to. So I'm thankful for that and look forward to it.”
Pace, who has won €337,567 from 24 tournaments this season, has her coach James Petts, who is based in Denmark, with her in Dubai this week.
“We came down early to work on a couple of things that wasn't quite right that's now back in form,” she said. “Just the same things all year, turning a little bit more, getting the club a little bit more, it's been shut, since India, just getting the club I'm playing a bit more in an open position where I can hit it harder and stronger.
“I always like playing in Dubai. It's a good course and a good test that you can also score quite well. I'm very confident. The way I see it, I'm ahead.”
Pace is €32,444 ahead of Davies - who requires a top-three position in Dubai to stand any chance of grabbing the European No.1 crown.
Davies said: “If the book makers were laying odds she’d be 1 to 20 on to win it because I have to finish first or second to have any chance and also she has to have a week where she’s not in the top 10 - so everything considered it’s a long shot - but the long shots come in now and again.”
Pace won’t be leaving anything open to chance when she begins pursuit of the €75,000 first prize and €20,000 Henderson Money List bonus as well as a 10-year exemption to the Ladies European Tour.
“I'm here to this week to make sure it goes through and I do get it. It’s definitely one of the best, one of the strongest fields and one of the greatest courses we play all year.”
