Chen leads ABSA Ladies invitational with SA’s Rothman chasing

Jordan Rothman. Credit: Heinrich Helmbold/Sunshine Ladies Tour

ROYAL JOHANNESBURG GOLF CLUB, 26 March 2026 – Chinese Taipei’s Doris Chen holds the ABSA Ladies Invitational on-course lead on seven under par with one hole to play after Thursday’s opening round at Royal Johannesburg was cut short due to bad weather.

Chen, who is still a rookie on the Sunshine Ladies Tour, managed to complete 17 holes when play was abandoned due to lightning and heavy downpours in the area.  Chen impressed with eight birdies and only one bogey during her first round.

When play was eventually called off, Chen held a one-stroke lead over Finland’s Sanna Nuutinen, who managed to finish her round of 66, and South Africa’s Jordan Rothman, who is also through 17 holes.

Rothman started her round with an impressive eagle on the par-five first hole, but unfortunately gave one shot back with a bogey on the sixth hole before birdieing the eighth to turn in two under.  A rollercoaster back nine followed for Rothman, which included an eagle, four birdies and two bogeys in the space of eight holes.

Rothman is playing solid golf of late with a season’s best of joint third in last week’s Platinum Ladies Open.

Defending champion Thalia Martin from England was only able to play one hole of her first round before play was abandoned for the day.

Round one will resume at 07h00 on Friday, with the second round not starting before 11h00.

Doris Chen. Credit: Heinrich Helmbold/Sunshine Ladies Tour

SCORES

7 – Doris Chen (TPE) [17]
-6 – Sanna Nuutinen (FIN)
-6 – Jordan Rothman [17]
-5 – Michaela Vavrova (SVK)
-5 – Elina Saksa (FIN) [17]
-3 – Chloe Salort (FRA)
-3 – Louise Duncan (SCO), Louise Rydqvist (SWE), Anna Backman (FIN) [16], Verena Gimmy (GER) [5]
-2 – Cara Ford
-2 – Tereza Melecka (CZE) [17], Cara Gorlei [4], Annabel Wilson (NIR) [4], Romy Meekers (NED) [4]
-1 – Jess Baker (BRI)
-1 – Kesha Louw (a), Ashley Chow (CAN), Nina Pegova (WHT), Emie Peronnin (FRA) [6], Clara Pietri (SUI) [4], Nadia van der Westhuizen [4], Ivanna van der Merwe [2], Kelsey Nicholas [2], Gabrielle Venter [2], Lenanda Nel [1], Bobbi Brown [1], Danielle du Toit [1]
Par – Ariane Klotz (FRA)
Par – Rebecca Earl (ENG), Rosie Belsham (ENG), Michelle Forsland (NOR) [7], Linn Wiberg (SWE) [6], Tina Mazarino (NOR) [6], Ffion Tynan (WAL) [5], Demi Flanagan [5], Ellie Gower (ENG) [4], Charlotte Liautier (FRA) [3], Kaiyuree Moodley [3], Maiken Bing Paulsen (NOR) [2], Caitlyn Macnab [2], Lucie Malchirand (FRA) [2], Thalia Martin (ENG) [1], Stacy Bregman [1], Sophie Witt (GER) [1]
+1 – Claire Minter (ZIM)
+1 – Maegan Webster (a), Gala Dumez (FRA), Shannon Butler (a), Lois Lau (FRA), Bronwyn Doeg [17], Chiara Horder (GER) [16], Sofie Bringner (SWE) [7], Ekaterina Malakhova (WHT) [6], Tiffany Arafi (SUI) [6], Zethu Myeki [6], Louisa Carlbom (SWE) [6], Naom Wafula (KEN) [6], Tara Baglione [5], Carolin Kauffmann (GER) [5], Laura Beveridge (SCO) [4], Kristyna Napoleaova (CZE) [3], Zane Kleynhans [3]
+2 – Charlotte Millard (a)
+2 – Mayka Hoogeboom (NED), Mia Eales-Smith (ENG), Lorna McClymont (SCO), Hulda Gestsdottir (ISL), Anais Meyssonnier (FRA), Lianna Bailey (ENG), Andrea Bergsdottir (ISL), Michaela Fletcher, Hannah Karg (GER) [17], Symone Henriques [6], Olivia Mehaffey (NIR) [5], Kiera Floyd [4], Lora Assad [4], Theresa de Bochdanovits (GER) [4], Hanna Tauber (GER) [4], Marianne Skarpnord (NOR) [3], Nobuhle Dlamini (SWZ) [3]
+3 – Tandi McCallum
+3 – Megan Dennis (ENG), Shawnelle de Lange [7], Kajal Mistry [4]
+4 – Hester Sicking (NED)
+4 – Gia Raad (a), Elina Nummenpaa (FIN)
+5 – Ellen Hume (ENG)
+6 – Chante van Zyl
+6 – Lindi Coetzee, Taylor White (SCO), Kim de Klerk, Kaylah Williams [16]
+7 – Canice Screene (IRL)
+9 – Kaylee Webster (a)
+9 – Lynette Fourie
+12 – Cheslyn Jacobs (a)
+13 – Ouname Mhotsha (BOT)
+13 – Ellandri van Heerden, Leontine Petit (FRA)
+22 – Crizelda Terblanche

Press release by Michael Vlismas Media, Sports Media Specialists

In 2013 the WPGA formed a partnership with the Sunshine Tour which resulted in the successful launch of the Sunshine Ladies Tour in 2014 and the partnership continues to this day.  The WPGA has controlling rights of all Women’s Professional Golf events events hosted in South Africa and control over the Women’s Tour.