Team to play Scotland and Zone VI announced

Ryan Dreyer (left) is Captain of the team to play Scotland with JG Claassen also in the teamThe South African Golf Association (SAGA) announced the names of players to represent South Africa in two international team competitions today.

The nine man team to play Scotland at Leopard Creek Golf Club, near Malalane in Mpumalanga, from 16 to 18 March 2010 are: Ryan Dreyer (Captain) (Central Gauteng), Johan Bekker (Ekurhuleni), JG Claassen (North West Province), Jared Harvey (Kwazulu-Natal), Riekus Nortje (Southern Cape), Dean O’Riley (Ekurhuleni), Aaron Russell (Western Province), Tyrone Ryan (Central Gauteng) and Danie van Tonder (Central Gauteng).

The team to play in the annual Zone VI, which will be played at the Gaborone Golf Club in Botswana from 10 to 18 April 2010, is as follows: Jared Harvey (Captain), CJ du Plessis (Limpopo), Thabo Maseko (Central Gauteng), Riekus Nortje, Tyrone Ryan, Steven van Heerden (Kwazulu-Natal), Danie van Tonder and Allan Versfeld (Central Gauteng). The reserve for this team is Bryn Flanagan (Central Gauteng).

These players will also participate in the Botswana Open Championship, a 72 hole stroke play competition over the Gaborone Golf Club layout which will precede the Zone VI tournament.

The manager for both team will be SAGA’s President, Enver Hassen.

“After the Zone VI we will pick, from players selected for these two teams, an eight man team to play in the French Test Match in France the following month,” said Enver Hassen. The French trip starts with the French Amateur Championship, taking place from 20 to 24 May at St. Germain Golf Club, and will conclude with a test match at the same venue, over two days, namely the 25 to 26 May 2010.

According to Hassen, Dylan Frittelli and Leon Knoll, two of South Africa’s top ranked amateurs currently on golf scholarships at the Universities of Texas and San Deigo, United States of America, respectively, have not been considered as they are unavailable to participate in these two competitions.

“This year the biannual World Amateur Team Competition, the Eisenhower Trophy, is being held, in Argentina in October, we are focussing our attention on this prestigious competition,” explained Hassen. “Our intention is therefore to pick a four man team to participate in the Barrett Amateur, an international invitation championship which is played in Canada in August. These four players will then proceed to Argentina for in order to acquaint themselves with the two venues on which the Eisenhower Trophy will be played.”

“From these four players we will pick a three man team and a reserve player,” pointed out Hassen.

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