Staff WriterThe Platinum Ladies Open has become a tournament of patience, stamina and the sort of stubborn resolve golfers usually reserve for sideways rain and three-foot par putts. Norway’s Madelene Stavnar holds the clubhouse lead at 12 under par after signing for a second-round 69, but with weather delays still casting a shadow over the week, this one remains gloriously unfinished business.
The second round will be completed on Friday morning before the final round begins, leaving the leaderboard in that deliciously unstable state where nobody dares get too comfortable. Stavnar has the lead, yes, but only by a single stroke, and in golf that is roughly the emotional equivalent of trying to carry a teacup across a trampoline.
Scotland’s Lorna McClymont produced one of the sharpest moves of the day with a 65 to climb to 11 under, applying the sort of pressure that makes a one-shot lead feel about as restful as sleeping in a shopping trolley.
Stavnar leads, but the margin is slender
Stavnar did what leaders are supposed to do in a disrupted week: she got round, posted a number, and left everyone else to chase shadows. Her 69 was not a lap of honour, but it was controlled enough to secure top spot in the clubhouse when control was in short supply.
That matters in a weather-affected Platinum Ladies Open. Stop-start conditions can turn rhythm into a rumour, and players are being asked to finish one round with the emotional balance of a surgeon, then pivot immediately into another with the urgency of a sprinter hearing the starter’s pistol.
A one-shot advantage over McClymont gives Stavnar the edge, but not the luxury. The final stretch now looks less like a procession and more like a proper scrap.
Venter’s long day keeps title hopes alive
The most resilient performance of the day may have belonged to South Africa’s Gabrielle Venter, who had to navigate 27 holes to complete both her first and second rounds. By the end of it, she had signed for a 65 and climbed into a share of third place on 10 under par.
That is a serious day’s work even when a player is feeling fresh. Doing it while unwell is something else entirely.
“I started off a bit slow today as I am a bit sick with flu. I wasn’t feeling my best at all,” said Venter.
“It was tough having to go out again today. But my second round was a great round. My ball striking was very good. I felt like I was playing very nicely and could have probably made a few more birdies. But all-in-all it was a really good round, especially for such a long day. I just battled it out today.”
There is no grandstanding in those words, which rather suits the golf. Venter’s round sounded like what it was: a grind, a test, and then a reward for hanging in when lesser spirits might have started negotiating with the nearest duvet.
A crowded chase behind the leader
Venter shares third place with Kristyna Napoleaova, who posted a 67, and Louisa Carlbom, who had reached nine holes of her second round by the close of play. That leaves the Platinum Ladies Open leaderboard compact, live and more than a little unsettled.
In other words, this is no longer just about Stavnar protecting a lead. It is about who handles the awkward timing, the broken rhythm and the mental gymnastics of finishing one job before racing straight into the next.
McClymont’s 65 has already changed the shape of the contest. Venter’s position, particularly given her circumstances, adds another layer. Napoleaova remains firmly in the conversation, while Carlbom still has holes left to make a proper nuisance of herself.
What Friday could bring
The final day now arrives with the tournament balanced on a matchstick. The weather delays have squeezed the Platinum Ladies Open into a sprint finish, and that tends to reward players who can think clearly while the rest of the field is mentally rummaging through drawers looking for calm.
Venter, who is chasing a third Sunshine Ladies Tour title this week, made it clear she has no intention of retreating into caution.
“I will definitely stay aggressive, but I’ll keep taking it shot by shot. As I’m not feeling well, I don’t want to waste too much energy by thinking too much. So I will stay aggressive and see what happens,” Venter said.
That may prove to be the line of the week. Golf has a habit of punishing overthought, and on a day like Friday, with unfinished rounds, compressed schedules and a tightly packed leaderboard, simple may be clever.
The Platinum Ladies Open is set up perfectly
What began as a weather-disrupted week has become something far more interesting: a Platinum Ladies Open with a clear leader, a charging pursuer, and a contender in Venter who has already shown she is willing to suffer for every shot.
Stavnar leads. McClymont lurks. Venter refuses to go away.
And with the second round still needing a final tidy-up before the last act begins, the tournament has all the makings of a finish that could be tense, scrappy, brilliant, or all three at once. In golf, that usually means the best kind.
