German engineering graduate Schmidt builds SA Women’s Open lead

As the oldest golf club in South Africa, Royal Cape has seen it all. But on Thursday it experienced a first as Germany’s Patricia Schmidt carded her lowest round on the Ladies European Tour of 10-under-par 63 to lead the Investec South African Women’s Open.

Schmidt’s round of eight birdies and an eagle on a magnificent autumn day in the Cape earned her a two-stroke lead over Denmark’s Smilla Tarning Soenderby and Slovenia’s Pia Babnik in this Sunshine Ladies Tour and Ladies European Tour co-sanctioned event.

France’s Agathe Laisne, the winner of last week’s Joburg Ladies Open, came through the opening round five strokes off the lead.

Casandra Alexander and rookie Caitlin Macnab are the leading South Africans following their rounds of three-under-par 70, while amateur Lisa Coetzer made a solid start with her round of two under par.

Low round of the morning field on day one of the Investec SA Women’s Open a 63 - well played Patricia Schmidt 👏 #SunshineLadiesTour#WeGotGame#InvestecSAWomansOpen#LoveCapeTown#RoyalCapeGolfClub pic.twitter.com/9p1DHSzFe0 — Sunshine Ladies Tour (@SLadiesTour) April 23, 2026

As she walked out of score recording, a few Royal Cape members applauded Schmidt for a remarkable round of golf. But while they were well aware of the magic she was making on their fairways, Schmidt was so focused she was almost oblivious to it.

“Honestly, I didn’t even know I’d shot 10 under until I got a high five on the last hole,” said Schmidt.

It was a round that was anchored in a sublime short game.

“I wouldn’t say it was the greatest round off the tee box, but my whole approach game and my recovery game was just really good. It was just one of those days where you stand behind a putt and read it and just clearly see the line. It’s the type of feeling you look for but which is really hard to find. Today it was just there for my putting,” she said.

The former Physics student and Mechanical Engineering graduate has clearly applied her mind to the game of golf, and in particular her putting, and came up with an approach which worked for her on Thursday.

“I think it’s just trusting the feeling and not overcomplicating it. I just tried to do that the whole round and not want to hole the putt so badly that I overcomplicate it. But rather to keep a fast routine, focus on a good rhythm, give it a chance and see if the putt drops.”

As much as her short game stood out, so did her recoveries from these tree-lined fairways.

“What has helped me this year is my consistency. Even though I’ve not hit every fairway, the misses I have are way smaller. So if I need to make a recovery I’ve managed to save par, which I’ve done way better now compared to last year.”

LEADERBOARD

How it ended on day one.#SunshineLadiesTour#WeGotGame#InvestecSAWomansOpen#LoveCapeTown#RoyalCapeGolfClub pic.twitter.com/YJaKE4uHD9 — Sunshine Ladies Tour (@SLadiesTour) April 23, 2026

SCORES

63 - Patricia Isabel Schmidt (GER)

65 - Smilla Tarning Soenderby (DEN)

65 - Pia Babnik (SVN)

66 - Alessia Nobilio (ITA)

66 - Emma Spitz (AUT), Esme Hamilton (ENG), Emma Grechi (FRA)

67 - Cara Gainer (ENG)

67 - Anna Morgan (USA), Brianna Navarrosa (USA)

68 - Meghan MacLaren (ENG)

68 - Agathe Laisne (FRA), Fernanda Lira (MEX), Alice Hewson (ENG), Diksha Dagar (IND), Amy Lee (USA)

69 - Lydia Hall (WAL)

69 - Emma Falcher (FRA), Kajsa Arwefjall (SWE)

70 - Lois Lau (FRA)

70 - Justice Bosio (AUS), Pranavi Urs (IND), Casandra Alexander, Sofie Kibsgaard (DEN), Ana Pelaez Trivino (ESP), Aine Donegan (IRL), Tereza Melecka (CZE), Caitlyn Macnab, Luca Thompson (WAL), Maha Haddioui (MAR), Hannah Screen (ENG), Alessandra Fanali (ITA), Lisa Pettersson (SWE), Dorota Zalewska (POL)

71 - Tina Mazarino (NOR)

71 - Harang Lee (ESP), Maddison Hinson-Tolchard (AUS), Alexandra Forsterling (GER), Kirsten Rudgeley (AUS), Anna Foster (IRL), Anna Huang (CAN), Maria Parra (ESP), Gabrielle Venter, Darcey Harry (WAL), Annabell Fuller (ENG), Lisa Coetzer (a), Amelia Garvey (NZL), Luna Sobron Galmes (ESP), Amaia Latorre (ESP), Lucie Malchirand (FRA)

72 - Olivia Mehaffey (NIR)

72 - Blanca Fernandez (ESP), Kiera Floyd, Corinne Viden (SWE), Kelsey Bennett (AUS), Cecilie Finne-Ipsen (DEN), Zane Kleynhans, Hitaashee Bakshi (IND), Anna Zanusso (ITA), Amy Taylor (ENG), Momoka Kobori (NZL), Roberta Liti (ITA), Thalia Martin (ENG)

73 - Nina Pegova (WHT)

73 - Carolin Kauffmann (GER), Verena Gimmy (GER), Gemma Clews (ENG), Marta Sanz Barrio (ESP), Madelene Stavnar (NOR), Gudrun Bjorgvinsdottir (ISL), Cara Gorlei, Ginnie Ding (HKG), Morgane Metraux (SUI), Charlotte Heath (ENG), Katharina Mühlbauer (AUT), Camille Chevalier (FRA), Avani Prashanth (IND), Gabriella Cowley (ENG), Nobuhle Dlamini (SWZ), Lily May Humphreys (ENG), Danielle du Toit

74 - Bobbi Brown

74 - Aunchisa Utama (THA), Lee-Anne Pace, Ayako Uehara (JPN), Lucie Vachova (CZE), Kajal Mistry, Tvesa Malik (IND), Agathe Sauzon (FRA), Romy Meekers (NED), Sanna Nuutinen (FIN)

75 - Tandi McCallum

75 - Vani Kapoor (IND), Celina Sattelkau (GER), Anne-Charlotte Mora (FRA), Lora Assad, Louise Rydqvist (SWE), Jordan Rothman, Marta Martin (ESP), Sara Kouskova (CZE), Ana Dawson (IMN), Jana Melichova (CZE), Kaiyuree Moodley

76 - Jess Baker (BRI)

76 - Dorthea Forbrigd (NOR), Isabella Ferreira (a), April Angurasaranee (THA), Nadia van der Westhuizen, Vanessa Knecht (SUI)

77 - Laura Beveridge (SCO)

77 - Moa Folke (SWE), Andrea Lignell (SWE), Patricie Mackova (CZE)

78 - Amalie Leth-Nissen (DEN)

78 - Charlotte Millard (a), Alexandra Swayne (ISV)

79 - Hannah Burke (ENG)

79 - Lorna McClymont (SCO)

80 - Hannah Darling (SCO)

81 - Symone Henriques

IMAGE: Patricia Schmidt ©Mark Sampson