SA Team enjoy solid climb at Spirit
Ruan de Smidt and Haydn Porteous collected three birdies a piece to finish with a second successive 68 and launch to a tie for second in the Mens Teams Competition at the 2011 Spirit International at Whispering Pines Golf Course in Houston, Texas on Friday.
The SA pair’s effort also help lift the local side. De Smidt, Porteous, Kim Williams and Iliska Verwey combined for score of 142 to launch to a share of eighth on the International Teams leaderboard.
Canada, who held the overnight lead, pulled clear of second placed United States, putting a comfortable three shot lead between themselves and the hosts and Korea.
In the Womens Team Competition, Argentina took the lead on 137, thanks to eight birdies from Victoria Tanco. Verwey claimed back-to-back birdies at the 16th and 17th, but the team stayed at 14th on the leaderboard and are nine shots off the pace.
South African Golf Association president Colin Burger said it was a great effort from the team, considering the weather conditions and course set-up.
“It was just four degrees Celsius this morning at seven and the greens were rock hard,” he reports. “The pin placements were pretty wicked and the players teed off in a stiff breeze. Our boys played absolutely splendidly.
“They definitely did us proud, especially in beating the highly touted American side by five shots. The girls did just as well to finish two over.
“As a team, we made a substantial move upwards on the leaderboard in our quest for our first victory in this tournament. We still left a couple of putts out there, but we are determined to continue on our efforts.”
SECOND ROUND: TEAMS LEADERBOARD
-15 Canada 132 142
-12 United States 133 144; Korea 138 140
-9 Germany 140 143
-8 Denmark 136 144
-7 South Africa 140 142; Argentina 139 142
-6 Japan 137 146; Belgium 137 146
-5 Mexico 139 145
-4 England 141 143
-3 Switzerland 141 142; Italy 134 151; Australia 136 150
PAR Sweden 142 144
+1 Ireland 142 145
+2 Colombia 147 143; +2 France 148 143
+7 Norway 145 151
+55 China 175 168
SECOND ROUND: MENS TEAM COMPETITION (top 10 only)
132 Canada 64 68
136 South Africa 68 68; Japan 65 71
137 United States 64 73
138 Australia 65 73
139 Belgium 67 72; Denmark 67 72; Ireland 69 70
140 Germany 70 70; Korea 70 70; Mexico 69 71
SECOND ROUND: WOMENS TEAM COMPETITION (top 10 only)
137 Argentina 69 68
138 Korea 68 70
140 United States 69 71
141 Colombia 71 70; Denmark 69 72
142 Canada 68 74; England 70 72; Italy 66 76; Switzerland 70 72
143 Germany 70 73
146 South Africa 72 74