Sign up for our daily newsletter

Latest news, reviews, analysis and opinion, plus unmissable deals for bunkered subscriptions, events, and our commercial partners.

Almost all top-level international professional sport has fallen victim to the coronavirus.

Almost.

Down in South Africa, the Ladies European Tour pressed ahead with this week’s event, the South African Women’s Open – and it resulted in a remarkable debut victory for England’s Alice Hewson.

This time last year, the 22-year-old from Hemel Hempsted was preparing to play in the inaugural Augusta National Women’s Amateur.

• When the 2020 Masters could be played…

• Tour confirms pros will be paid for PLAYERS

Today, she came from three strokes behind overnight leader Olivia Cowan to win by a shot at Westlake Golf Club – on her first start as a member of the LET.

“I couldn’t have hoped for a better start,” said the rookie. “It feels absolutely incredible and it really is a dream come true. Growing up as a kid, all I could ever dream of was playing on the Ladies European Tour and to come and win my first event, the feeling is indescribable.”

WATCH – DUMBARNIE LINKS… FIRST REVIEW!

Hewson only turned pro in September and finished fifth at LET Q-School in January.

“This has definitely happened a lot quicker than I thought it would,” she added. “I was hoping to get off to a nice steady start, but this is definitely a good thing.”

• How Tiger Woods won the 2019 Masters

• Coronavirus: Full list of golf events impacted

Asked if she was concerned about whether the tournament being played, given the Coronavirus pandemic, she added: “I think it was definitely the right decision that we continued playing this week and it’s also the right decision that future tournaments have been cancelled.

“Everyone was already here and there is a very low risk here so it was nice to be able to play some golf, because we don’t know how long it’s going to be now before we will again.”