Déjà-vu for Ekurhuleni at Maccauvlei

Ekurhuleni A won the Swiss Team Trophy with a four-shot triumph in the SA Women’s 72-Hole Teams Championship at Maccauvlei Golf Club; credit GolfRSA.

5 June 2019 – Ekurhuleni won the 58th SA Women’s Inter-Provincial Championship last October and on Wednesday, they did again, coming up trumps in the SA Women’s 72-Hole Teams Championship in Vereeniging.

Ekurhuleni A overcame a four-shot first round deficit to take pole position in the Swiss Team Trophy with a strong performance on moving day at Maccauvlei Golf Club.

Caitlyn Macnab, Nadia van der Westhuizen and Kiera Floyd combined for rounds of 149 and 147 and the 2018 runners-up surged to the top spot. The trio took a two-shot lead over Gauteng North A into the final day, with Gauteng A a further shot back.

Van der Westhuizen led the final round charge with a 73 and Macnab backed her up with a 75 for a team total of 148 and a four-shot victory on 13-over 589.

“We are absolutely stoked,” said captain Macnab.

“We are so proud to be the title holders of the SA Women’s IPT and SA Women’s 72-Hole at the same time. We set ourselves a goal of shoot level par or better, but it was a tough scoring day for the whole field, with tricky pins and lightning fast greens.

“I battled with my ball-striking and Kiera said her game came off the rails on the back nine. Luckily we had done enough in the second and third rounds to keep the opposition at bay and Nadia played amazing golf to pull it through for us.

Ekurhuleni A and B with managers Susan Andrew & Lezette Vermaak at the SA Women’s 72-Hole Teams Championship at Maccauvlei Golf Club.

“We were really happy that we’d given our president Susan Andrew a great birthday present, but it was a bittersweet moment when we learned that our B-team had been relegated. On the positive side, both teams will have something to strive for next year… a title defence and a promotion.

“I am very proud of all six players, because they played their hearts out for Ekurhuleni and that’s what counts. Susan and our manager Lezette Vermaak have been incredible and we are so proud to repay their support with another win. Now we’ll start building for our SA Women’s IPT defence.”

Zethu Myeki (73) and Kajal Mistry (76) combined for 149 to secure second for Gauteng A on 593, edging out Gauteng North by one shot. Larissa du Preez (74) and Gina Da Silva (77) sealed third for the Daisies on 594 with a final round 151.

It was a double celebration for Macnab, who also won the Individual Competition. The Serengeti golfer carded rounds of 71, 72, 72 and 75 to win by two shots on two-over 290.

Michaela Fletcher (76-73-71-72) from KwaZulu-Natal was second and Du Preez (71-77-71-74) from Gauteng North finished third on 293.

Boland golfer Megan Streicher (76-72-74-74) took fourth on 296 and reigning SA Women’s Amateur Stroke Play and Match Play champion Kajal Mistry rounded out the top five on 297 with rounds of 75, 72, 74 and 76.

SWISS TEAM TROPHY
589 Ekurhuleni A 145 149 147 148
593 Gauteng A 153 145 146 149
594 Gauteng North A 143 154 146 151
605 KwaZulu-Natal A 154 153 149 149
609 Gauteng B 151 155 150 153
616 Western Province A 151 151 151 163
622 Boland A 157 153 155 157
622 Gauteng C 156 158 152 156
635 Western Province B 157 160 157 161
640 Southern Cape 161 161 157 161
660 Ekurhuleni B 164 163 169 164

Written and released by Lali Stander on behalf of GolfRSA.