Eastern Province nails SA Women’s IPT promotion

Eastern Province edged Border and Free State to win the 60th SA Women’s Inter-Provincial promotion battle with a tremendous final round campaign at Rondebosch Golf Club; credit Mark Sampson.

9 October 2021 – Eastern Province emerged victorious in the battle for supremacy to secure the coveted promotion in the 60th SA Women’s Inter-Provincial after an epic scuffle on the final day at Rondebosch Golf Club.

Border looked locked in to win the B-Section, having claimed the top spot with an eight-stroke victory in the Seeding Round and beating Eastern Province and North West 4 – 2 in the first two rounds.

The WGSA 72-Hole Teams Championship B-Section winners headed into the final round with a 2-point lead, but Eastern Province was far from beaten.

“We knew the match between Border and Free State would be tight. If Free State won the match or the two teams drew, we still had a chance. So we took the fight to North West,” said the team’s captain Janine van der Merwe.

The skipper’s strategy paid off handsomely.

Van der Merwe and Heather Kruger went out first in the foursomes, but before they could even win their game 3 & 2, youngsters Mieke de Ridder and Zahn Scholtz collected the side’s first point with a 5 & 4 win.

“The organisers asked us if we were playing speed-golf, because we raced through that morning session in just two hours, but we were pretty motivated; and when we learned that Border and Free State tied their foursomes, it only inspired us more,” said Van der Merwe.

Kruger and Scholtz wasted little time. Both players won 5 & 4 to boost their tally to 4 points. De Ridder made it 5 points when she edged experienced Elru Botha 2 & 1 with a clutch birdie on the 17th.

Van der Merwe was 1-up through 16, but Marne van der Merwe birdied 17 to square the game and the North West golfer denied Eastern Province a clean sweep when she halved the final hole in bogeys.

Meanwhile Free State beat Border 3.5 – 2.5.

“We were all tied on 4 points, so the result went to a count-out on game points; Free State had 10, Border had 10.5 and we edged them with our 12 points for the win, thanks to our final round effort,” said the elated captain.

“We never looked further than the next step and we took our matches one at a time. We came together so well, with the most amazing spirit. I believe it was down to our unity that we could pull it through. I never doubted that we could do it and we are very proud.

“A big thank you to our manager, EP Women’s Golf president Cathy Bezuidenhout, who was an absolute rock. And to Womens Golf South Africa, GolfRSA and Rondebosch Golf Club, who put up a fantastic event.”

Van der Merwe not only guided her charges to victory, but the 54-year-old also topped the Most Valuable Player list with 5.5 points.

Kruger, Chinell Becker from Free State and 14-year-old Border rookie Kesha Louw shared second on 4.5 points, while 18-year-old Scholtz tied for fifth on 4 points with Demi Flanagan and Sanet Pieterse from Border, and Free State captain Gabbi Venter.

Free State rookie Ellandri van Heerden, also 14, was ninth on 3.5 points, while De Ridder accrued 3 points to take 10th on the standings.

Western Province B made it a double celebration for the host union when they lifted the B-2 Section title in the 60th SA Women’s Inter-Provincial at Rondebosch Golf Club; Mark Sampson

First-time SA Women’s IPT campaigners Jordan Pillay and Leonine Petit were simply supreme for Western Province B, finishing the week as the only unbeaten players in the bottom draw. Backed up by fellow rookies Isabella Crafford and Jemma Louw, the young team won three straight matches to seal a double win for Western Province in this year’s tournament.

FINAL RESULT
B DIVISION B-1
Border 2.5 vs Free State 3.5
North West 0.5 vs Eastern Province 5.5

B DIVISION B-1 LOG
(Pos-Union-Played-Won-Drawn-Lost-Points-Matches won)
1 Eastern Province (3, 2, 0, 1, 4, 12)
2 Border (3, 2, 0, 1, 4, 10.5)
3 Free State (3, 2, 0, 1, 4, 10)
4 North West (3, 0, 0, 3, 0, 3.5)

B DIVISION B-2
Western Province B 3.5 vs Mpumalanga B 2.5
Northern Cape 3.0 vs Limpopo 3.0

B DIVISION B-2 LOG
(Pos-Union-Played-Won-Drawn-Lost-Points-Matches won)
1 Western Province B (3, 3, 0, 0, 6, 13.5)
2 Mpumalanga B (3, 2, 0, 1, 4, 11.5)
3 Limpopo (3, 0, 1, 2, 1, 6.5)
4 Northern Cape (3, 0, 1, 2, 1, 4.5)