SPOTLIGHT ON...
PASSING
the test
A US collegiate stint helped this young pro hit the ground running on her return to SA
BY MIKE GREEN
There were early signs that Kaiyuree Moodley was going to settle into life as a professional very well. The most obvious was the sparkling bogey-free 66 she fired to lead the first round of the Jabra Ladies Classic at Westlake Golf Club at the end of February.
‘That 66 in the first round of the Jabra Classic was definitely the highlight of my playing during the season. It was my lowest round as a pro... so far,’ she says.
That quiet addition of ‘so far’ to her sentence speaks to just how quickly the woman who won the R&A Rookie of the Year title for 2025 on the Sunshine Ladies Tour adapted to life as a professional.
‘I was very happy with my season,’ she says. ‘It was a lot better than I thought it would be. A lot of people take a bit of time to figure things out and find their feet in their rookie season, and I am so grateful I was able to do that quite quickly.’
BEST FINISHES ON THE SUNSHINE LADIES TOUR
26 Feb:
Jabra Ladies Classic, T3rd
5 March:
SuperSport Ladies Challenge, 2nd
19 March:
Platinum Ladies Open, T8th
‘A lot of people take a bit of time to figure things out and find their feet in their rookie season, and I am so grateful I was able to do that quite quickly’
With a collegiate career in her immediate history, perhaps it shouldn’t have been a surprise she settled down fast. ‘I think having played college golf in the United States helped,’ she says. ‘The fields I played in there, all 120 players could win. Here in South Africa, we do have a good group of girls, but it’s often the same handful every week that can win.
‘To be exposed to all types who can play well, no matter what the conditions were like, was great. And when I turned pro here, everyone on the Sunshine Ladies Tour can also win, so my US experience definitely helped.’
There were also familiar faces around her as she embarked on the new phase of her career.
‘I had a group of friends from my amateur days,’ she says. ‘It was a bit of a change when I didn’t have to compete against them any more, because I had new competition. But it was nice knowing that a lot of the girls I had played with before I went to college had turned pro. So having them around me as familiar faces made things a little less daunting.
‘Cara Ford, a friend of mine who was on the winning IPT team with me last year, turned pro at the same time as I did. Having her in my corner has been awesome as we were able to experience all these things together.’
Gallery below
2024-25 TOP-10 FINISHES
28 Aug 2024: GVP Challenge, T4th
2 Oct: SunBet Challenge – Sun Sibaya, T6th
17 Oct: Fortress Invitational, T8th
23 Jan 2025: SDC Open, 2nd
20 March: The Serengeti Playoffs, T6th
2024-25 TOP-10 FINISHES
28 Aug 2024:
GVP Challenge, T4th
2 Oct:
SunBet Challenge – Sun Sibaya, T6th
17 Oct:
Fortress Invitational, T8th
23 Jan 2025:
SDC Open, 2nd
20 March:
The Serengeti Playoffs, T6th
In her debut pro season in South Africa, Moodley enjoyed three top 10s including a runner-up finish; and only.missed the cut at one event in eight starts.
‘The runner-up finish was a highlight for me,’ she says. ‘I didn’t think I could get that close. After that, being able to play at the Joburg Ladies Open and the Investec SA Women’s Open were two highlights. I did miss the cut at the Joburg Open, but it was still a highlight just to be able to play it and to finish the season off strongly by being able to play at those two big events.’
Those two big tournaments were co-sanctioned with the Ladies European Tour, which was another feature of her new life that stimulated her. ‘It was great having a lot of the Europeans come and play,’ she says. ‘I competed at a few Sunshine Ladies Tour events when I was younger, and I don’t recall there being so many Europeans then. Now the majority of our fields are European, which is really awesome to see.’
FLYING HIGH
Hear more from South Africa's superstar as she prepared for this year’s Investec SA Women’s Open.
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‘There are a lot of goals to be achieved in the coming months’
The culture exchange goes the other way for Moodley as she headed to Europe in May to play on the LET. ‘I’ve just got a couple of events,’ she says. ‘I wasn’t able to earn my full card at Q-School, so I’m hoping I can re-rank in the events I play. If I finish within the top 70 of the LET, I get to keep my full card. There are a lot of goals to be achieved in the coming months.’
And with a dream start to her pro career under her belt, who would bet against those goals being achieved?
TOP OF THE CLASS
In February this year, the Sunshine Ladies Tour announced its first Rookie of the Year award supported by the R&A.
After a stellar first year as a professional, where she finished sixth on the Investec Order of Merit and secured a sponsorship with Investec, Moodley was named the winner of the award. She was one of 45 rookies competing on this year’s Tour and received automatic exemptions into the 2026 Joburg Ladies Open and the 2026 Investec SA Women’s Open.
CHIP SHOTS
Favourite course
Gary Player Country Club. It’s such a prestigious course, with the Nedbank Golf Challenge being held there. So being able to play there on the Sunshine Ladies Tour was a big thrill. On the par five with the island green, you walk over that bridge and see the plaques with the winners and that’s quite special.
Role model
The first one would be Ernie Els. He does a lot for junior golf. To me, it’s what a role model does outside the world of golf, and Ernie has the Els for Autism Foundation which does amazing work. I was also part of his Ernie Els & Fancourt Foundation that helps kids go and play golf.
Go-to club
Probably my 8-iron. It’s got the most wear-marks of any club I have, and the grip is pretty much ruined. It’s just a steady club, it’s middle of the bag.
Best shot
I’ll be honest – I don’t really hit a fade, I play with a draw. So every time I stand over the ball and I want to hit a fade and it happens, I’ll take that as my best shot.
Dream fourball
I’d love to play with Ernie Els, so him, Nelly Korda and Annika Sörenstam.
TROY WINFIELD/SHAUN ROY/SUNSHINE TOUR/PERFECT EXPOSURE
