SA beat Scotland handsomely

South Africa continued their dominant form into the second and final day of the inaugural Test Match against Scotland, played at Leopard Creek Country Club near Malalane in Mpumalanga. The host nation won comfortably by twenty one points to seven.

Enjoying the cloudy and cool weather the teams started the day with a singles and four betterball matches in the morning, in that order. The South Africans won all but one of these games. Jared Harvey and Dean O’Riley lost two down to Scotland’s Gordon Yates and Mark Bookless.

Going into lunch South Africa were eight points clear of Scotland, meaning only two points, being two wins, was all that was required to win the Test Match.

The first two South Africans out, in the afternoon singles, Riekus Nortje and Johan Bekker respectively, did the deed for the host nation beating Gordon Yates and Mark Bookless one up and two up respectively.

Tyrone Ryan was the only South African to lose his singles, against Steve McEwan, 4 and 3.

Jared Harvey managed a half against the experienced Scotsman Glen Campbell.

With all the remaining matches going to South Africa, some in grand fashion, the home team amassed a further seven and one half points to thieir opponents one and one half, from the singles.

Dean O’Riley, South Africa’s top ranked amateur, according to the latest South African Golf Association player rankings, won handsomely eight and seven against Paul Sheilds. “O’Riley was six under after eleven holes, he was playing superb golf,” said Neil Homann, the South African Team’s assistant manager.

JG Claassen also showed his class beating Greg Paterson of Scotland six and five.

“Johann Rupert and members of Leopard Creek have been fantastic to us this week,” explained Homann. He said that with Rupert’s support and members opening up their houses to the teams along with the uncompromising manner in which the club’s staff prepared the golf course and looked after our every need, made the week most memorable.

The Scottish team now fly down to Cape Town and take on a provincial team at Pearl Valley Golf Estates near Paarl.

Final Results

Leopard Trophy (Test Match: South Africa vs Scotland)

Leopard Creek Country Club, near Malalane, Mpumalanga

Morning:

(South African players are mentioned first)

Singles:

Danie van Tonder beat Steven McEwan 1 up;

Betterball:

Riekus Nortje & Johan Bekker beat Jack Macdonald & Glen Campbell 1 up

Aaron Russell & Tyrone Ryan beat Scott Gibson & Paul Shields 2 and 1

Jared Harvey & Dean O’Riley lost to Mark Bookless & Gordon Yates 2 down

Ryan Dreyer & JG Claassen beat Greg Paterson & Kris Nicol 3 and 2

Single & Betterball Results: South Africa: 4 points; Scotland: 1 point

Cumulative Points Position: South Africa 13½ points; Scotland 5½ points.

Afternoon:

(South African players are mentioned first)

Singles:

Riekus Nortje beat Gordon Yates 1 up

Johan Bekker beat Mark Bookless 2 up

Tyrone Ryan lost to Steven McEwan 4 and 3

Jared Harvey halved with Glen Campbell

Danie van Tonder beat Scott Gibson 2 and 1

Aaron Russell beat Jack Macdonald 2 up

Ryan Dreyer beat Kris Nicol 3 and 2

JG Claassen beat Greg Paterson 6 and 5

Dean O’Riley beat Paul Shields 8 and 7

Singles Results: South Africa: 7½ points; Scotland 1½ points

Final Points Position: South Africa 21 points; Scotland: 7 points