World Amateur Teams Championship
The South African team started their first round of the World Amateur Teams Championship on the tougher Old Course at Gloria Golf Club today. The hot and humid conditions which made club selection somewhat different from the practice rounds, together with firmer, faster greens resulted in the girls struggling to adjust.
Alana van Greuning, who was the first of the South Africans to tee off, 3 putted the first two greens which rattled her confidence and she simply could not get it back until the turn. Unfortunately too late, but her back nine of one over par 36, which included 2 birdies, will have given her the much needed confidence for tomorrow.
Bertine Strauss started off with a drop, then a double on the par 3 2nd hole when she hit in the water. However, she settled down after that and played steady golf, but the putts were not dropping and with only one birdie on the card, had to settle for a total of 77 (+5).
SA number 1 ranked player, Kim Williams looked like she would have a solid round after the first two holes, but her driver started playing up and the bogeys then added up as she had to navigate the narrow tree-lined fairways. An unlucky break on the 5th resulted in a lost ball, and she was lucky to sink an 8 foot putt for the double bogey. Kim also only managed one birdie and signed for a most disappointing 80 (+8).
This leaves the South African team in 44th position on +13, 16 shots off the leaders, Sweden who played the New Course today. The girls will be looking to be the most improved team on the leader board by the end of the second round tomorrow. So whilst they are all bitterly disappointed in today’s performance, their spirits are still high and after a quick lunch, they were all off to the range and practice facilities with Captain, Sandra Winter and coach, Val Holland.