Gauteng North wins 7th Pick n Pay SA IPT
Gauteng North A rallied with iron-fisted determination to seal their seventh successive Pick n Pay SA Women’s Inter-Provincial title in the A Division, while Gauteng B celebrated a hard-earned promotion from the B Division at Port Elizabeth Golf Club on Friday.
Gauteng North A claimed a 3-0 lead in the A-Section foursomes, but the defending champions came under some pressure from Western Province A in the singles.
As they have done so many times in the past, the ladies in blue simply buckled down to win four singles to trounce Province 7-2.
Magda Kruger claimed the first scalp when she defeated Yvette du Plessis 5&4 and reigning Sanlam SA Stroke Play champion and SA number one Nobuhle Dlamini beat Ji Sun Kang 4&2 to add another point to their tally. Carrie Park and Marne Clack secured the last two points when both players scored 1-up victories against Kelly Erasmus and Zayb Kippie respectively.
Unbeaten in the championship, the seven-time champions won the A-Section with six points, with Gauteng A moving to second on three points after defeating Gauteng North B 6.5 – 2.5.
Although Western Province also finished with three points, they lagged 1.5 game points behind Central and had to settle for third. Gauteng North B finished fourth with zero points.
Gauteng North Golf Union vice-president Dot van Ryneveld was elated with the results.
“I am extremely proud of both our teams,” Van Ryneveld. “The A team performed exceptionally well and the experience for our B Team to play in the A Division will be invaluable in years to come.
“We are obviously very proud of the fact that we have won this event seven times in a row, but we have to give credit to Pick n Pay for providing us with this national platform to compete on for so many years.
“We now own seven SA Women’s Inter-Provincial titles and have won the 72-Hole Teams Championship for seven consecutive years, as well, and this is really an incredible record and testament to the hard work everyone puts in at Gauteng North, from players, to coaches and from parents to administrators.
“I would be remiss not to laud Kim Williams, who led both teams and has been exceptional in her captaincy and leadership
“We are also delighted to know that our achievements has inspired the Gauteng North mens team, who broke a 29 year drought to lift the SA Inter-Provincial title and will be celebrating a double victory with us.”
In the B-Section, KwaZulu-Natal beat Ekurhuleni 5-4 to top the log on five points.
Ekurhuleni took second on four points, with Boland third with three points and North West, with zero points, took fourth.
GAUTENG B CLINCH PROMOTION
Gauteng B denied Eastern Province a home celebration by clinching the coveted promotion to the A Division with five points.
Gauteng B won both their final round foursomes against the Eastern Province, but had to fight hard to win one match and halve two more to seal a 4-2 victory.
Ivanna Samu halved her match with Eastern Province’s Tara Griebenow and Jacqui Akers was also held to stalemate by Imkeleen Meyer. Minette Olivier beat Natasha Carlsson 2-up to give Eastern Province a brief advantage. It came down to the two 12-year-olds, but Woo-Ju Son levelled matters when she defeated her Jamie-Lee Daniels 1-up at the final hole.
Southern Cape beat Border 3.5 – 2.5 to move to second in the standings with three points, while Eastern Province and Border tied on two points and eight game points each.
The B-Section was won by Free State and Northern Cape, who lost 3.5 – 2.5 to Mpumalanga in the final round.
The Free State side won with four points on a games count, with 11.5 games to Mpumalanga’s 8.5.
Limpop took third on three points and the Western Province B side closed out the log with one point.
PHOTO – from left to right: Gauteng North’s Carrie Park, Eugenie Clack, Kim Williams (captain), Russell Booth (Pick n Pay), Dot van Ryneveld (Gauteng North Golf Union vice-president), Magda Kruger, Marne Clack, Nobuhle Dlamini.