The flagship event had been reduced to 36 holes after torrential rain caused the first round to be abandoned, but the sun shone on Smith as she thwarted bids from former champions Sandra Winter and Sonja Bland in the final round to triumph.
Smith was one off the pace after an opening 79, but the 37-year-old Milnerton golfer bravely battled a very strong wind to sign for 80 in the final round and win by eight strokes on 15 over 159.
Two-time champion Winter from Kingswood took second with rounds of 84 and 83.
Bland, the winner in 2013, carded 89 in the first round and lagged 11 strokes behind pacesetter Desi Earle from Limpopo.
The Fancourt golfer reeled in four birdies on her way to a 79 to vault to third on 24 over.
Smith was thrilled with the victory, especially given the tough scoring conditions.
“We had to contend with a drizzle and a stiff breeze in the first round, but today the wind was absolutely brutal,” she said.
“I often play in windy conditions at my home course, so I tried to take advantage at the holes with the wind and just tried to hit the fairways and greens at the holes into the wind.
“Some of the holes here are so tight and protected by bush on both sides, and it was really tough to keep it in play in that three-club wind.
“I didn’t have the time to prepare that well this year due to work pressure and I am so pleased that I was still able to defend my title. This victory was very, very sweet.
“It was a great pity that our first round was rained out, but it was a fantastic championship nonetheless and Jeff Clause and the staff were absolutely brilliant.”
Meanwhile the battle for the B-Division title went down the wire.
Carina Theron from Free State and Southern Cape import Erica Millican tied at 35 over in regulation play and the pair set off to the eighth tee to start a sudden-death play-off. Both players parred eighth, but Millican clinched the title when she holed out for par at nine.
“It was the first time that either of us played in a play-off and we were both incredibly nervous,” said Millican, who recently moved from Nottingham Road in KwaZulu-Natal to Plettenberg Bay.
“I’ve been playing golf for 32 years, but I honestly felt like a beginner.
“Of course, they had to start us on the toughest hole on the course. By the time we got to the green, I was shaking like a leaf over the putt and I missed a 2-footer to win the hole.
“I was a lot calmer down nine and I hit a great drive. I had 125 metres to the pin and hit a solid nine-iron into the wind and two-putted for the win. It was a fantastic championship and I am so pleased to go back to Plett with this title in the bag.”
A-DIVISION RESULT
159 Vanessa Smith 79 80
167 Sandra Winter 84 83
168 Sonja Bland 89 79
171 Maggie Minnie 86 85; Millie Zim-Dondashe 85 86
172 Desiree Earle 78 94
176 Lynn Slogrove 84 92
177 Amanda Ogden 89 88; Desiree Geldenhuys 85 92
180 Linkie Malan 86 94
181 Sheryl Matthews 90 91
182 Adele Beytell 93 89; Lynne Behagg 90 92
184 Michelle Witts-Hewinson 95 89
B-DIVISION RESULT
179 Erica Millican 87 92 (play-off, 2nd hole)
179 Carina Theron 92 87
180 Heather Kruger 88 92
188 Litha Matthysen 92 96
190 Annamie Van Rensburg 91 99
191 Dale Ball 96 95
193 Annette Lawson 105 88; Michelle Holt 100 93
194 Louise Van Niekerk 96 98
196 Linda Jordaan 107 89
197 Mary Louise Du Plessis 99 98
198 Sharon Botha 93 105
199 Shelley Sykes 104 95; Debbie Catlett 100 99
200 Sanett Roberts 105 95; Thelma Dippenaar 101 99
201 Erika Taljaard 91 110
202 Martine Strasheim 104 98
203 Gill Van der Meulen 97 106
205 Esta Tennent 104 101; Lorraine Slabbert 100 105
206 Tanya Lightley 106 100
207 Marie Muller 108 99
208 Kerry-Ann Murgatroyd 106 102
209 Marita Durant 109 100; Loraine Smit 106 103
211 Theresa McCabe 109 102; Cathy Bezuidenhout 101 110
213 Wendy Carruthers 104 109
214 Karen Gird 114 100; Karen Schoombie 111 103; Marlene Botha 111 103
218 Joan Solms 123 95
220 Maureen Marsay 106 114
222 Lorein De Wit 106 116
223 Jenny Du Preez 117 106
229 Maryna Groenewald 119 110
236 Nicci Taylor 113 123
DQN Elmerie Trytsman 99 DQN
C-DIVISION RESULT
62 Margaretha Herholdt 36 26
59 Louise Pitout 26 33
54 Susan Wright 28 26
52 Beverley Weijters 26 26
50 Lynette Lotriet 27 23
49 Judy Katzenellenbogen 29 20
48 Linda Erasmus 31 17
47 Isobel Cocks 20 27; Tracy Thesen 25 22
46 Paula Grobbelaar 25 21
44 Noelene de Ridder 22 22; Marelize Church 26 18
43 Tersia Swanepoel 22 21; Hettie Steenberg 23 20
42 Carol Paxton 27 15
39 Tina Wood 18 21; Roenel Basson 20 19; Pamela Sanders 22 17; Martie Jelliman 24 15
35 Lynn Wessels 14 21
31 Margaret Maytham 10 21
23 Cheryl Delport 15 8
21 Lynn Van Biljon 7 14
ARTICLE: LALI STANDER
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