SA golfer Lewthwaite hopes to regain confidence ahead of new Sunshine Ladies Tour season

South African golfer Lejan Lewthwaite hopes to shrug off a difficult 2022 year as she looks forward to a jam-packed 2023 Sunshine Ladies Tour season.

Lewthwaite sealed her fourth Sunshine Ladies Tour title in January when she won the Vodacom Origins of Golf Pro-Am title at the Gary Player Country Club.

However, since her early win in Sun City, things haven't been smooth sailing for the Serengeti golfer.

During the recent Investec South African Open at Blair Atholl Golf and Equestrian Estate, Lewthwaite opened up about her personal struggles that affected her game. 

"It's been a hectic year for me personally, but I'm still very optimistic about my career and where I want to go," said Lewthwaite, who had to deal with her parents' separation, losing her pet and having ended a long-term relationship.

"I had a lot going on and I think with sports, you've got to have some peace. As much as you think it doesn't affect you, you got to be in such a good mental space as an athlete to perform. So I'm hoping that next year will be that year for me."

Lewthwaite finished 131st in the Ladies European Tour (LET)'s Costa Del Sol rankings, which included a 16th-place finish at the Women's NSW Open in Australia.

Despite the up-and-down year, she is determined not to let anything distract her from the game again as she prepares for a bumper 2023 season.

"It's not always nice when you're not playing well, but like I said, I'm so passionate about this game and I really do believe in my talent and where it could take me and I'm focusing on that," said Lewthwaite.

"You don't really know how much the personal stuff does affect you, so I definitely think we've got to just let that stuff calm down and hopefully, that'll fix the golf side of things. 

"That's