SA Team stay inside top 10 at Spirit
The South African team slipped to eighth on the 54-hole leaderboard at the 2011 Spirit International at Whispering Pines Golf Course in Houston, Texas on Saturday.
Ruan de Smidt, Haydn Porteous, Kim Williams and Iliska Verwey carded a collective 140, to finish 10 shots behind the United States. The hosts top the leaderboard at 412, three shots clear of Denmark, who launched to second with a third round 135.
In the Mens Team Competition, Canada retained their lead and finished four shots clear of Australia, while Porteous and De Smidt, who managed three birdies in the third round for a partnership of 71, slipped from a share for second to tie for sixth, six shots off the pace.
In the Womens Team Competition, Argentina’s lead was cut to just one shot by Korea. Verwey and Williams collected four birdies for a 69 to join a five-way tie for ninth alongside Canada, France, Italy 66 76 73 and Sweden. Although they improved from an overnight tie for 14th, the ladies still trail the leaders by 11 shots.
THIRD ROUND: TEAMS LEADERBOARD
412 United States 133 144 135
415 Denmark 136 144 135
416 Argentina 139 142 135; Canada 132 142 142
417 Korea 138 140 139
420 Germany 140 143 137
421 Mexico 139 145 137
422 South Africa 140 142 140
423 Australia 136 150 137
424 France 148 143 133; Colombia 147 143 134; Japan 137 146 141
425 Sweden 142 144 139; England 141 143 141
426 Italy 134 151 141
427 Belgium 137 146 144
430 Switzerland 141 142 147
431 Ireland 142 145 144
445 Norway 145 151 149
502 China 175 168 159
THIRD ROUND: MENS TEAM COMPETITION (top 10 only)
201 Canada 64 68 69
205 Australia 65 73 67; Denmark 67 72 66; Japan 65 71 69
206 United States 64 73 69
207 South Africa 68 68 71; Germany 70 70 67; Mexico 69 71 67
209 France 74 70 65
210 Ireland 69 70 71; Sweden 70 72 68
THIRD ROUND: WOMENS TEAM COMPETITION (top 10 only)
204 Argentina 69 68 67
205 Korea 68 70 67
206 United States 69 71 66
209 Colombia 71 70 68
210 Denmark 69 72 69
212 England 70 72 70
213 Germany 70 73 70
214 Mexico 70 74 70
215 South Africa 72 74 69; Canada 68 74 73; France 74 73 68; Italy 66 76 73; Sweden 72 72 71