SA secure slender halfway lead

The ten man Protea team, playing Scotland in a two day amateur golf Test Match, at Leopard Creek near Malalane, had a good first day ending up with a two point lead over their more fancied opponents.

Enjoying the perfect golfing weather, the South Africans started slowly and finished strongly. In the morning Foursomes, the hosts won two matches to Scotland’s three. However the afternoon session, made up of ten singles matches, South Africa came back nicely to win 6½ points to Scotland’s 3½.

“We played with much more discipline and patience than we did against France,” said Colin Burger, the team manager and SAGA President in explaining what he saw as being an improved performance by his chargers.

“It is a team event this however if one had to single out any performances I must say Hendre Cilliers, playing in his first test match, did well to beat Jason White. So too did Jared Harvey to halve his match with Kris Nicol. Coenie Bester’s performance was fantastic even that of Haydn Porteous taking Michael Stewart, the new Sanlam South African Amateur Champion, to the fifteenth hole.”

With fourteen points to play for tomorrow it is still anyone’s test match. With the South African’s looking much steadier than in earlier test matches, at this stage, a win against the strong Scottish team is not out of the question.

Test Match: South Africa vs Scotland

Leopard Creek Country Club, Malalane

First Day’s Results

Morning Foursomes

South Africa vs Scotland

Ryan Dreyer & Jared Harvey lost to Michael Stewart & Ross Kellett 2 and 1;

Brandon Stone & Rikus Nortje beat Jordan Findlay & Philip McLean 3 and 2;

CJ du Plessis & Ruan de Smidt beat David Law & James White 1 up;

Daniel Hammond & Haydn Porteous lost to Scott Gibson & Paul Shields 2 and 1;

Coenie Bester & Hendre Cilliers lost to Kris Nicol & Greg Paterson 5 and 4.

Result

South Africa 2 points; Scotland 3 points

Afternoon Singles

South Africa vs Scotland

Haydn Porteous lost to Michael Stewart 3 and 1;

Coenie Bester beat David Law 1 up;

CJ du Plessis beat Jordan Findlay 2 and 1;

Ruan de Smidt beat Philip McLean 5 and 4;

Ryan Dreyer lost to Paul Shields 7 and 6;

Rikus Nortje lost to Scott Gibson 5 and 4;

Hendre Cilliers beat James White 2 up;

Daniel Hammond beat Greg Paterson 1 up;

Jared Harvey halved with Kris Nicol

Brandon Stone beat Ross Kellett

Result

South African 6½ points; Scotland 3½ points

Cumulative Points

South Africa 8½ points; Scotland 6½ points

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