Gauteng North hunts Senior IPT glory
Gauteng North is hoping to spoil the party for defending champions Central Gauteng at the 26th edition of the INDWE SA Senior Amateur Inter-Provincial from 8-11 April.
It has been 14 years since Gauteng North defeated Central Gauteng to lift the trophy, but the country’s number one ranked senior, Mellette Hendrikse, feels confident that this year’s team has the goods to deliver an upset at the country’s largest national senior golf team competition at De Zalze and Erinvale golf courses.
“This could definitely be our year,” said Hendrikse. “Gauteng North enjoyed an excellent season in 2013 with our U-23, our Ladies Premier and our Men’s Premier Inter-Provincial teams all tasting success.
“We definitely want to follow in their footsteps and inspire them to defend their titles by adding to our union’s silverware.
“We certainly have the players to get the job done and the players love both the venues. We respect our opposing teams, and we can’t wait to get the battle for glory underway.”
Hendrikse brings a lot of experience to the side that also features Ben Kleynhans, Derik Piek, Rinus van Niekerk, Leon Scheepers, Christie le Roux, Conrad Rauch and the side’s skipper, Chris Delport.
“Over the course of my golfing career, I represented Gauteng North in a Challenge Inter-Provincial, seven Premier Inter-Provincials and five Mid-Amateur Inter-Provincials,” he said.
“This is my third year on the Senior Team and I believe we have a very strong and capable line up.
“We expect Central Gauteng to come out fighting in their title defence, and the Western Province are always very hard to beat at home. But, like everyone else on the team, I am really keen for us to keep the union’s winning record going and all the experience will come in very handy.”
Western Province will be gunning for a home victory, while Central Gauteng will be determined to extend their dominance in the prestigious team competition.
The defending champions won the INDWE SA Senior Amateur Inter-Provincial for six successive years from 2005 until 2011, when Province ended their run at Parys Golf Club.
Province successfully defended their title in Durban in 2012, but Central Gauteng was back on the podium last year after a successful campaign at Euphoria Golf Estate.
Meanwhile Herman September, Ivan Palframan, Jonathan Hobday and newcomer Mark Hair will aim to seal the Province’s fourth successive victory in the Super Seniors Division.
The format for all the divisions in the 26th Indwe SA Senior Amateur Inter-Provincial will be foursomes and singles over four rounds of competition.