WGSA welcomes new caps to National Squads

Womens Golf South Africa welcomed a number of new caps from the country’s promising amateur pool into their three-tiered GolfRSA National Squad structure for the 2020 season

CAPE TOWN, 19 May 2020 – Womens Golf South Africa welcomed a number of new caps from the country’s promising amateur pool into their three-tiered GolfRSA National Squad structure for the 2020 season.

“We are delighted to welcome Chloe Malgas-Kelpin, Ellandri van Heerden, Kaylan Boshof, Kesha Louw and Lucia Mhlabane, who will join Anika Smit and Tebogo Lefifi in our Talent Identification (TID) Squad,” said Womens Golf South Africa (WGSA) President Sarah Braude.

“We are also excited to announce that Megan Streicher, a two-time winner last season, has been promoted to the Elite Squad, while Ineke Brynard and Kyra van Kan graduated the TID Squad and will be joining new cap Stephanie Barbaglia in the B-Squad.

“We work closely with our national coaches Val Holland and Anna Becker-Frankel and the new members of our squads are players who have been on our radar for some time.”

GolfRSA launched their men’s and women’s squad systems in 2016 thanks to a R10-million investment from businessman and GolfRSA chairman of the board Johann Rupert.

In addition to creating playing opportunities for the cream of South Africa’s young female golf talent, the GolfRSA squad systems provides funding for training camps, nutrition and fitness support, as well as mental and physical coaching,.

“The WGSA established a three-tiered squad comprising our Elite Squad, our B-Squad and our TID Squad to cater for golfers at different levels,” said Braude.

“The Elite Squad is made up of the country’s top ranked players, the B-Squad includes talented players who graduated from the Talent Identification Squad (TID) and the TID Squad features players with potential who have been scouted at our national and provincial golf events.

“We are constantly on the lookout for young, promising amateurs that we can nurture to produce champion golfers that will represent South Africa with distinction. “Through our squad system, we aim to give players the tools they require to achieve their ultimate golfing goals, which for the majority would be graduating to the professional ranks.

“By keeping our squads small, we are able to pay close attention to each player’s progress and we can provide individual attention based on the player’s particular strengths and weaknesses.

“The three squads provide a valuable platform for our most talented pool of golfers to further develop their skills and to showcase themselves through local and international competition. Ultimately, we hope to produce stronger national teams and arm our individual players with the best preparation possible for whichever career they choose when they leave the amateur ranks.”

Braude said the countrywide lockdown due to the Covid-19 pandemic has impacted adversely on the training camps scheduled for 2020.

“We are embracing technology to run specific sessions of the camps via video conference. We believe it is vital to ensure that we continue to provide a platform under the current circumstances as well as facilitate their ongoing development as athletes,” she said.

ELITE SQUAD

  • Caitlyn Macnab (Serengeti Estates / Ekurhuleni)
  • Kaylah Williams (Durbanville Golf Club / Western Province)
  • Kiera Floyd (Ebotse Golf Club / Ekurhuleni)
  • Kaiyuree Moodley (Bryanston Country Club / Gauteng)
  • Meghan Streicher (Swellendam Golf Club / Boland)
  • Kajal Mistry  (Randpark Golf Club / Gauteng)
  • Kaleigh Telfer (Bryanston / Gauteng)
  • Symone Henriques  (Glenvista Country Club / Gauteng)

B-SQUAD

  • Kera Healey (Eagle Canyon Golf Estate / Gauteng)
  • Kyra van Kan (Glendower Golf Club / Ekurhuleni)
  • Ineke Brynard (De Zalze Golf Club / Boland)
  • Samantha Whateley (Country Club Johannesburg / Gauteng)
  • Stephanie Barbaglia (Bryanston Country Club / Gauteng)

TALENT IDENTIFICATION SQUAD

  • Anika Smit (Vryheid Golf Club / KwaZulu-Natal)
  • Chloe Malgas-Kelpin (George Golf Club / Southern Cape)
  • Ellandri van Heerden (Bloemfontein Golf Club / Free State)
  • Kaylan Boshof (Ebotse Golf Club / Ekurhuleni)
  • Kesha Louw (East London Golf Club / Border)
  • Lucia Mhlabane (Malelane Golf Club / Mpumalanga)
  • Tebogo Lififi (Wanderers Golf Club / Gauteng)

Written and released by Lali Stander on behalf of GolfRSA.