Pace plays at the same golf club as Oosthuizen in Mossel Bay in the Western Cape.

She won her first Ladies European Tour event at the Deutsche Bank Ladies Swiss Open in June and is eager to add to her tally.

She has been in prolific form since then as well with a tie for fifth at the Portugal Ladies Open and a tie for fourth place in Tenerife. She will be hoping she will be able to continue similar, but maybe a little bit better, form at the Evian Masters.

The 29-year-old is ranked second on the Ladies European Tour’s Henderson Money List behind England’s Laura Davies.

The Evian Masters is considered a major on the Ladies European Tour, even though it is not recognised as such by the LPGA. It is also the highest paid event on the Ladies European Tour.

Pace said: “Congratulations to Louis; amazing, a true inspiration. I wish I could have seen it but I was on a plane unfortunately coming here. From what I hear he played amazing. He’s such a good golfer and he’s got so much talent, you have no idea.”

“I know Louis pretty well. We played for South Africa together in the World Championships in Puerto Rico in 2003. He and Charl were in the team. I’ve known him for a while. We are from the same area. He lives like, half an hour from me and we play a bit of golf together.”

A strong international field of competitors has assembled alongside Pace at the tournament with 24 of the top 25 ranked players in the world at the event, including the new World No.1 Ai Miyazato, who is also the defending champion.

After the pro-am yesterday Pace commented on the course: “I love it. It’s actually a lot like the courses in South Africa in the north, Jo’burg area. A little tighter, small greens, fast greens and I like it a lot. I started hitting the ball nicely again today so I’m pretty happy with my game.”

Pace has started well and is currently two under through eleven holes, in a tie for eleventh place and only three shots off the leader.