Kim and Iliska off to The Spirit

South Africa’s top-ranked players, Kim Williams and Iliska Verwey left South Africa today to represent South Africa at The Spirit to be played from Wednesday to Saturday this coming week (2 -5 November). They are accompanied by Haydn Porteus and Ruan de Smidt selected by SAGA and managed by SAGA President Colin Burger.

This invitational biennial World Tournament is always played at Whispering Pines, a beautiful course located north of Houston, Texas and invitations are based on results in the World Amateur Teams Championship held in the intervening years.

The Spirit International competition is 72 holes Four-Ball Stroke Play and has three concurrent team competitions.

The first is the International Team event where the four-ball score for both the women’s and men’s teams will be combined after each 18-hole round to compute the International Team score.

Then there is the Women’s Team four-ball stroke play and Men’s Team four-ball stroke play, and finally Individual Honours whereby only the number of birdies and eagles made by each player during the 72 hole competition will be counted to determine the individual women’s and men’s honours.

Commemorative medals are awarded to the top three places in each competition.

The World Health and Golf Association provides all air and local transportation to the event, accommodation initially in Houston and then at Camp Olympia at Whispering Pines, all evening entertainment and player services at Camp Olympia and all food and beverages during their stay in Texas.

For the first two days, the players are based at the Woodlands Waterway Marriot Hotel where they participate in the opening ceremony and procession of countries and on day three they are taken to Whispering Pines where the accommodation is in cabins, and entertainment includes a Texas Cookout Party, International Music Night or Karaoke, an Open Evening with Campfire and finally a Carnival Party.

The South African women’s selection is based on merit – but coincidentally WGSA will be represented by the SA Women’s Stroke Play and Match Play champions, Kim Williams and Iliska Verwey – what a great reward for excellent golf!

Live scoring: http://www.thespiritgolf.com/live-webcast.html