Big guns fire early at SA Mid-Amateur IPT

9 October 2017 – Western Province and Central Gauteng threw down the gauntlet on Monday, while the Eastern Province and Southern Cape teams got their promotion campaigns in the South African Mid-Amateur Inter-Provincial off to a flying start at Oubaai Golf Club.

A-SECTION
Western Province made their intentions clear with a stirring start in the foursomes and rode a substantial advantage home in the singles against KwaZulu-Natal and North West.

The defending champions lost just half a point to KwaZulu-Natal and scored a clean sweep against North West to lay the groundwork for two decisive victories.

Gerlou Roux at number one defeated Nico Fenner 7 & 6 to set the tone in the match against North West. Shaun le Roux, Cameron Johnston and Elton James ensured an 8 – 4 victory, while Roux, Johnston, Le Roux and Stefan Blommaert guaranteed the 7.5 – 4.5 victory over KwaZulu-Natal.

Central Gauteng also made an auspicious start, leading Ekurhuleni 3 – 1 and Gauteng North 2.5 – 1.5 in the foursomes.

Steve Williams and Ruan Botha scored early scalps and Wendell Bossenger and Kevin Sharp added two more points to boost Central Gauteng’s growing tally against 2014 champions Ekurhuleni. Dylan Keylock and Clifford Howes both halved for an 8 – 3 result.

Howes routed Gauteng North’s Alex van Heerden 5 & 3, Keylock mowed down Menno Malherbe by the same margin and Botha won 5 & 4 to keep Gauteng North on the back foot. Williams, Wendell Bossinger and Ryan Dreyer added three more points. Gustav Verster denied Sharp with a birdie at the last to halve the game, but the writing was on the wall and Central celebrated a 9 – 3 win.

Ekurhuleni defeated Gauteng North 7 – 5 to stay in the running, and 2015 champions KwaZulu-Natal kept their title bid alive when they edged out North West 6.5 – 5.5.

Boland, who earned promotion in Rustenburg last year, had a first round bye.

B-SECTION
Itching to get back to the A-Section, Eastern Province rode a 3 – 1 lead in the foursomes to a convincing 9 – 3 victory over Northern Cape, but the Bay boys had to dig in their heels to defeat Free State 6.5 – 5.5.

After losing the foursomes 1 – 3, Free State rallied to win four singles. Johan Coetzer, Michael Holden and Dillon Germshuys get the control back for Eastern Province and Ryno Ferreira halved his game against Jacques Schutte to avoid a draw.

Meanwhile Southern Cape handed Mpumalanga an 8.5 – 3.5 drubbing and moved down Limpopo 7 – 5 to tie Eastern Province for the top spot in the log on four points and 15.5 games points.

Free State got their revenge, routing Northern Cape 9 – 3 for two vital points and Mpumalanga downed Limpopo 7 – 5.

Border had a first round bye.

A-SECTION LOG
(Pos-Union-Played-Won-Drawn-Lost-Points-Matches won)
1 Central Gauteng (2, 2, 0, 0, 4, 17)
2 Western Province (2, 2, 0, 0, 4, 15.5)
T3 KwaZulu-Natal (2, 1, 0, 1, 2, 11)
T3 Ekurhuleni (2, 1, 0, 1, 2, 11)
5 North West (2, 0, 0, 2, 0, 9.5)
6 Gauteng North (2, 0, 0, 2, 0, 8)

B-SECTION LOG
(Pos-Union-Played-Won-Drawn-Lost-Points-Matches won)
T1 Eastern Province (2, 2, 0, 0, 4, 15.5)
T1 Southern Cape (2, 2, 0, 0, 4, 15.5)
3 Free State (2, 1, 0, 1, 2, 14.5)
4 Mpumalanga (2, 1, 0, 1, 2, 10.5)
5 Limpopo (2, 0, 0, 2, 0, 10)
6 Northern Cape (2, 0, 0, 2, 0, 6)

Written and released by Lali Stander on behalf of GolfRSA, a SAGA and WGSA Not-For-Profit company.