PRETORIA. 12 April 2019 – Not even Mother Nature could stop the mighty Lions from roaring to a fourth successive victory in the 32nd South African Senior A-Division Inter-Provincial, while KwaZulu-Natal sealed the Super Senior title at Wingate Park Country Club on Friday.
SENIORS
Rain and lightning put a serious damper on the final day’s action, but in the end, defending champions Central Gauteng topped the pile with 13 points with an unbeaten run in this year’s tournament.
“We started the final round with a 2-point cushion over Western Province and 3 points ahead of Gauteng North,” said team manager Andy Truluck.
“Victory is never in the bag for us until the final putt drops, and going up against Province and Eastern Province, we expected two tightly contested skirmishes. The senior circuit is highly competitive. The guys have played each other for years and they know each other so well, so you can never afford to get complacent.
“Both matches were incredibly tight from the start. We were all square in the foursomes against Western Province and we led Eastern Province 2.5 – 1.5. Going into the singles, the guys were matching each other shot for shot. Our first guys were approaching the ninth green and the last guys were on the fifth and all the games were in the balance. Then the siren went.”
Tournament director David Younge from GolfRSA suspended play at 14h15 due to dangerous conditions.
“There was heavy downpour that flooded the course, but within an hour and a half, the green staff had the course ready for play,” Truluck said.
“The rain stopped, but unfortunately the lightning didn’t. Eventually the tournament committee had to make a call to abandon play for the day. With light fading, there wouldn’t have been enough time for us to compete nine holes for a result. It’s never the way you want to win, but in this case, it was the safest call. In the end, the singles were halved.
“All credit to the team for a fantastic performance all week. They are a fantastic bunch of guys with a fantastic team spirit that really played for each other. From Brian Chernotsky, making his senior debut this year, who made some crucial points for us to Jock Wellington, winning the Most Valuable Player of the tournament in his 19th senior IPT.
“It was a really tough event this year and all our matches went down the wire. We sunk a lot of pivotal putts, like the clutch putt Schalk sunk in the foursomes to win the match against Province that got us the crucial draw.
“I must congratulate Wingate Park and Gauteng North Golf Union on a fantastic event. The meals, the hospitality, the conditioning of the course was amazing. Compliments also to David – the tournament was very well run and the course was set up brilliantly for match play. All round, one of the most memorable Senior IPTs in my time and well done to all involved.”
Meanwhile Gauteng North beat both their final round opponents to finish second on 11 points, but a 7 – 5 victory over Border came too late for North West, who was left holding the wooden spoon.
SUPER SENIOR
KwaZulu-Natal began the final round on 4 points, 1 point behind log leaders Central Gauteng and second-placed Western Province, but the coastal side leapfrogged both teams with a double victory to lift the Super Senior title.
The four-man side routed Boland 4 – 2 and beat Western Province 3.5 – 2.5 to finish in the top spot on 8 points. Province settled for second on 7 points after drawing with Central Gauteng and Eastern Province.
Central Gauteng, who edged Eastern Province 6.5 – 5.5 took third on 6 points, while Boland was sent down to the B-Division after their final round loss.
SENIORS A DIVISION FINAL ROUND
Central Gauteng 6 vs Western Province 6
Central Gauteng 6.5 vs Eastern Province 5.5
KwaZulu-Natal 6.5 vs Southern Cape 5.5
Gauteng North 8 vs Southern Cape 4
Gauteng North 6 vs KwaZulu-Natal 5
Western Province 6 vs Eastern Province 6
North West 7 vs Border 5
SUPER SENIORS A DIVISION FINAL ROUND
KwaZulu-Natal SS 3.5 vs Western Province SS 2.5
KwaZulu-Natal SS 4 vs Boland SS 2
Western Province SS 4.5 vs Boland SS 1.5
Southern Cape SS 3 vs Gauteng North SS 3
Southern Cape SS 3 vs Central Gauteng SS 3
Gauteng North SS 4 vs Central Gauteng SS 2
SENIORS A-DIVISION LOG
(Position-Union-Played-Win-Draw-Loss-Points-Games)
1 Central Gauteng (7, 6, 1, 0, 13, 52.0)
2 Gauteng North (7, 5, 1, 1, 11, 53.5)
3 Western Province (7, 4, 2, 1, 10, 52.5)
4 KwaZulu-Natal (7, 4, 0, 3, 8, 44.5)
5 Eastern Province (7, 1, 3, 3, 5, 41)
6 Southern Cape (7, 2, 0, 5, 4, 38)
7 Border (7, 1, 1, 5, 3, 27.5)
8 North West (7, 1, 0, 6, 2, 24)
SUPER SENIORS A-DIVISION
(Position-Union-Played-Win-Draw-Loss-Points-Games)
1 KwaZulu-Natal SS (5, 4, 0, 1, 8, 16)
2 Western Province SS (5, 3, 1, 1, 7, 17.5)
3 Central Gauteng SS (5, 2, 2, 1, 6, 17.5)
4 Gauteng North SS (5, 2, 1, 2, 5, 16)
5 Southern Cape SS (5, 1, 2, 2, 4, 15.5)
6 Boland SS (5, 0, 0, 5, 0, 6.5)
Written and released by Lali Stander on behalf of GolfRSA, a SAGA and WGSA Not-For-Profit company.
BALFOUR, 12 April 2019 – Boland and Border emerged as the undisputed champions in an epic final round battle for supremacy for glory in the 32nd South African Senior B-Division Inter-Provincial Tournament at Katberg Hotel and Eco Golf Estate on Friday.
SENIORS
Over the last three years, Boland started the final round unbeaten, but spoiled their promotion chances with a less than perfect performance…but not this year.
“We went into the final round tied for the lead with Mpumalanga on 4 points, and we threw down the gauntlet. We knew the final round would be a long, tough battle against Mpumalanga, so we put a huge effort into beating Ekurhuleni to boost our game points,” said team manager Charl de Villiers.
“The strategy worked. We started strong and beat Ekurhuleni 8.5 – 3.5. Mpumalanga also beat them, but only by 1 point. That gave us the game point advantage and we just kept our foot on the pedal against Mpumalanga until the final dropped.
“The match was poised on a knife’s edge, though. We halved one foursomes game and lost two others, so we were on the back foot heading into the singles. The guys knew the score and they stepped up to the plate.”
Andre van Dyk took first blood in the singles to level the score.
The reigning Senior Players champion mowed down Daniel Nyathela 5 & 4 to level the score and a 4 & 2 win from George Bezuidenhout put Boland in the lead for the first time.
Sarel van Heerden fell 4 & 3, but Jorrie Jordaan countered with a 4 & 3 win.
Franz Lohbauer knocked out Theo Bleeker 3 & 2 to take back the advantage for Boland, but Gavin Brough and Brian Naidoo put Mpumalanga back in the lead with 2 & 1 wins.
“The guys all kept a cool head under pressure,” said De Villiers. “It went right down to the wire, but the single-mindedness of the players was incredible.”
When Dirk van der Merwe beat Andy Britnell 1-up to draw the match, Boland could finally draw a breath and celebrate.
“We beat Mpumalanga 32.5 – 29 on game points; it was that close!” said De Villiers.
“Every man on the team shares in this moment, but we want to single out Jorrie. He battled earlier in the week and we took a team decision to play him at number one. He said he would make us proud and he did, winning both his matches to make sure we take this trophy home.
“The team worked incredibly hard to put the disappointments of the previous years behind them and to come to this year’s championship with a fresh, determined attitude. We have a fantastic bunch of guys who fought until the last putt in every match. They never gave up and they have made me, and our union, incredibly proud.
“We had an incredible week here at Katberg. This place is one of the most well-kept secrets in South Africa and just a huge thank you to the staff and green staff for making the week so memorable.”
SUPER SENIORS
Border went into the final round with a 2 point lead, but like Boland in the Senior Division, the team had to pull out all the stops to hold off Eastern Province to win on game points.
Border defeated Ekurhuleni 4 – 2, but Eastern Province also scored against Ekurhuleni, beating the side 3.5 – 2.5.
Eastern Province led the foursomes 1,5 – 0.5 but Russel Gower beat Willie Prince 3 & 2 to level the score. Dave Stephen won his match against Zolile Nqana 2 & 1 to put Border ahead, but both Wakeford Dondashe and Phillip Wolk lost their games.
“Eastern Province won the match 3.5 – 2.5, but we got the win with 19 – 17 game points,” said Border manager Hartland Wilson. “What a dramatic finish.
“You know, these guys have been playing golf for many, many years, so they know each other so well. There is a wonderful respect between the players, and the camaraderie and team spirits out there is so special. For the super seniors it’s a mulligan be competing at this level and they really revel in the competition.
“I am incredibly proud of this team. Every guy had a job to do. They never, ever gave up. They fought hard and when one player struggled, the other three stepped up. This is their win and I hope they enjoy the celebrations. The preparation for the A-Division starts when we get home.
“Thanks to Eden Thomson and Greg de Doncker from GolfRSA for an incredibly well-organised event and a final thank you from all the players to the staff at Katberg. Not many of us had ever heard of this course and what a jewel we have discovered. Pristine greens, manicured fairways, magnificent scenery anyway you look and truly world-class hospitality from Stefan and his team. We hope to send many people this way in the future.”
SENIORS B DIVISION FINAL ROUND
Boland 6 vs Mpumalanga 6
Boland 8.5 vs Ekurhuleni 3.5
Mpumalanga 6.5 vs Ekurhuleni 5.5
Northern Cape 6.5 vs Free State 5.5
SENIORS B-DIVISION FINAL LOG
(Position-Union-Played-Win-Draw-Loss-Points-Games)
1 Boland (4, 3, 1, 0, 7, 32.5)
2 Mpumalanga (4, 3, 1, 0, 7, 29)
3 Ekurhuleni (4, 1, 0, 3, 2, 19.5)
3 Northern Cape (4, 1, 0, 3, 2, 19.5)
3 Free State (4, 1, 0, 3, 2, 19.5)
SUPER SENIORS B DIVISION FINAL ROUND
Border SS 4 vs Ekurhuleni SS 2
Border SS 2.5 vs Eastern Province SS 3.5
Eastern Province SS 3.5 vs Ekurhuleni SS 2.5
North West SS 5 vs Northern Cape SS 1
North West SS 5.5 vs Free State SS 0.5
Northern Cape SS 3.5 vs Free State SS 2.5
SUPER SENIORS B-DIVISION FINAL LOG
(Position-Union-Played-Win-Draw-Loss-Points-Games)
1 Border SS (5, 4, 0, 1, 8, 19)
2 Eastern Province SS (5, 3, 2, 0, 8, 17)
3 North West SS (5, 2, 1, 2, 5, 17)
4 Ekurhuleni SS (5, 2, 0, 3, 4, 14.5)
5 Northern Cape SS (5, 2, 0, 3, 4, 12)
6 Free State SS (5, 0, 1, 4, 1, 10.5)
Written and released by Lali Stander on behalf of GolfRSA.
GREATER NOIDA, India (30 November 2018) – A feisty Indian side upped the ante in the final round, but South Africa’s seniors and mid-amateurs prevailed to seal a third successive victory in the annual Fellowship Cup in India.
South Africa held a commanding 8 – 8 lead after clean sweeps in the fourballs and foursomes and drove home the advantage with another strong performance in the Singles at the Jaypee Greens Golf and Spa Resort to triumph 14.5 – 1.5.
“The final round was intense and the Indians made us work really hard for the victory,” said South African Golf Association Second Vice President Martin Saaiman.
“Over the three days of the Test, our seniors outperformed their counterparts, however, two of the singles were really tight and Rishi Narain played fantastic golf to beat Craig Kamps 4 & 3.
“Their mid-amateurs are much stronger and have forced our players to dig deep. The South Africans showed some amazing fighting spirit and never gave an inch, including the match between our new cap Ernest Botha and HS Kang, which ended in a draw.
“I am incredibly proud of players, who were incredible ambassadors for South Africa. I congratulate the Indian players for the fantastic spirit in which they competed and their honour in defeat. And I wish to thank the Indian Golf Union and our host, council member Dilip Thomas, for the warm welcome and for showering us with their incredible hospitality.
“This week had been a very memorable experience for everyone, especially for Craig, Ernest, Ruan Botha and Derek Scullard, who all wore the green and gold for the first time. They had a fantastic time and will always treasure their debut in India.”
South Africa’s number one ranked senior Morgan Phillips was very disappointed during the inaugural Fellowship Cup to learn that Indian cricket legend Kapil Dev was unavailable to compete at Royal Kolkata in 2016.
The KwaZulu-Natal senior got his wish this year.
The 2018 SA Senior Stroke Play champion not only played against Dev in the first round Fourballs, but will go home with a great story to tell after he defeated the 1983 Cricket World Cup winning captain 4 & 3 to claim South Africa’s first point in the Singles.
Andre van Dyk from Boland downed Kulvinder Singh 2 & 1 and Central Gauteng golfer Steve Williams beat Vijay Kumar by the same margin.
Reigning SA Mid-Amateur champion Derek Scullard took a bit longer than the rest to warm up, but he was at his fighting best in the Singles. The KwaZulu-Natal golfer mowed down Simarjit Singh 5 & 3 to keep the South African leaderboard ticking over.
Ruan Botha from Central Gauteng beat Gagan Verma 1-up and Gerlou Roux from Western Province wrapped up the final point with a 1-up result against Lakhan Singh.
“The final day was incredibly exciting,” said team manager David Younge from GolfRSA.
“Definitely a very different vibe, with the Indian teams determined not to get whitewashed by us. They really stepped it up, played some exceptional golf and put some of our boys under real pressure. “Craig lost 4 & 3, but he was probably four-under against Rishi and not playing badly. Rishi just really wanted that win. Ernest was 2-down after two and had his back against the wall for most of the game. He won a couple to square the match, then lost one and won one to halve against HS. Fantastic match right up until the end.
“The hospitality from our host Mr Dilip Thomas and the Indian Golf Union, the Indian players and their sportsmanship and spirit, the course, the five-star hotel, and the dinners at different venues all combined to make this Test an incredibly memorable one.
“I must commend Mr Thomas and the Indian Golf Union on their exceptional organisation and for giving us some really unique experiences, like visiting the Buddh International Formula 1 Circuit and having a barbeque on the driving range, where we also hit balls under floodlights.
“Our players gelled really well and I mixed up the pairings so everyone would have a chance to play together and play against all the Indian competitors. Everyone had a really great time and enough leisure time to explore the area. Absolutely memorable event.”
Written and released by Lali Stander on behalf of GolfRSA.
