SA fighting for survival at Leopard Trophy
South Africa are up against the wall in the second round of the Leopard Trophy after Scotland handed the locals a 4-0 drubbing in the morning Foursomes at the magnificent Leopard Creek near Malelane.
The hosts fought back from trailing 2½ – 1½ in the first round Foursomes to level the score at 6-all in the Singles, but after a dismal performance, are trailing 10 – 6 in the two-day Test match.
Zander Lombard and local golfer Thriston Lawrence were beat 3 & 2 by Bradley Neil and Daniel Young, while the first round winning combination of Christiaan Bezuidenhout and NJ Arnoldi went down to Connor Syme and Ben Kinsley at the 18th.
The two Ekurhuleni pair and the Scots were all square coming down the 18th, and both pairs elected to lay up in front of the postage stamp island green. The Scots went first, but their approach plugged in the greenside bunker. After Bezuidenhout hit a solid approach, the local pair looked good for the win.
The Scots, however, responded with a superb trap shot that spun into the hole and took the game 1-up after the South Africans failed with their birdie attempt.
Louis Taylor and new cap Matthew Spacey were 2-up with five to play, but handed Ewen Ferguson and Jamie Savage a 3 & 1 victory after losing four holes on the trot.
Philip Kruse and Werner van Niekerk trailed for most of the round, but a chip-in at the 13th for birdie left them trailing by just one. Not even a birdie at the tough par-three 16th could level matters, as Graeme Robertson and Scott Gibson answered with a birdie of their own.
The SA pair lost the game 2 & 1 with a bogey at the 17th.
Can the South Africans rally and turn the Test around in the eight Singles matches this afternoon?
The Scottish team is comprised of members of the Scottish Golf Union’s Mens, Transitional and Boys Squads and the Leopard Trophy forms part of their annual eight week winter training programme, which is supported by Leopard Creek proprietor Johann Rupert and Aberdeen Asset Management.
South Africa claimed the inaugural Test in 2010, and won again in 2011 and 2013.
FOURSOMES RESULTS
Zander Lombard / Thriston Lawrence lost Bradley Neil / Daniel Young 3 & 2
NJ Arnoldi / Christiaan Bezuidenhout lost Conner Syme / Ben Kinsley 1-down
Louis Taylor / Matthew Spacey lost Ewen Ferguson / Jamie Savage 3 & 1
Philip Kruze / Werner van Niekerk lost Graeme Robertson / Scott Gibson 2 & 1
SINGLES DRAW (SA vs SCOTLAND):
Christiaan Bezuidenhout vs Bradley Neil
Zander Lombard vs Daniel Young
Thriston Lawrence vs Ewen Ferguson
NJ Arnoldi vs Jamie Savage
Louis Taylor vs Connor Syme
Philip Kruse vs Ben Kingsley
Werner van Niekerk vs Scott Gibson
Matthew Spacey vs Graeme Robertson