When news filtered through that all of the southern hemisphere teams had lost their matches on the fourth day of the Acer 5 Nations Commonwealth tournament, Great Britain, who had a bye, were playing with lion cubs and on a shopping spree.
“We may be out of reach on the log, no other team can catch us, but we are determined to win all of our four matches before we celebrate our victory,” said Turner at the close of the fourth round of the Acer 5 Nations Commonwealth Tournament, being played at the Royal Johannesburg and Kensington Golf Club.
South Africa’s decision to change their foursome pairings saw initial success when local duo Kelli Shean and the youngest player in the tournament fifteen-year old Bertine Strauss played New Zealand’s Penny Smith, runner up in the 2007 New Zealand Strokeplay Championship, and Tammy Clelland.
But despite their initial success, the Kiwis squared the match up to the thirteenth hole, and then birdied the fourteenth and final hole to win the match.
South Africa’s second pairing seemed to have command of the match with three of the five singles matches at the turn, but Ashleigh Simon and Gina Switala dropped a shot on the seventeenth.
Going into the final hole one shot down they secured a birdie, only to watch New Zealand’s Da Som Lee and Yeon Song Kim also sink a birdie, and go one up claim the victory point.
Simon’s contribution included a superb overall bogey-free round, and six birdies to win her match against New Zealand’s Penny Smith.
Western Province’s Kelli Shean had a double bogey on the sixth hole, but then managed to pull three birdies out the bag to win her singles match 6/4 against Da Som Lee.
This was not enough for the seemingly disappointed South African’s as New Zealand fought off their competitors in the other three matches, to turn the tables and win three of the five singles matches.
Canada, yet to put points on the scoreboard, claimed victory in their first foursome match when pairing Quebec’s Maude-Aimee Leblanc and youngest Canadian team player, Sue Kim turned three up, dropping a shot on the eighteenth to take the match 4/3.
Australia’s team closed in on log leaders Great Britain, when Australian Amateur Runners-Up Emma Bennett and team mate Stephanie Na conceded only one hole in an otherwise bogey free round, turning three up to take victory against the Canadians Mary Ann Lapointe and Meaghan Leblanc.
During the afternoon’s singles matches, Australia closed the gap even further when Emma Bennett shot an eagle on the seventh hole, conceding one hole and a single drop to beat Canada’s Lindsay Knowlton.
Australian compatriot Frances Bondad managed to pick up a birdie on the third hole, dropping only a single shot to win her match against Calgary’s Meaghan Leblanc.
The remaining three singles matches went Canada’s way with wins from Mary Ann Lapointe, Sue Kim and Maude-Aimee Leblanc, winning their overall match against Australia.
Important challenges remain however in Friday’s final days action of these top amateur women golfers.
Canada lie second on the log but have a bye, and it will take a win from South Africa against the log-leaders Great Britain, and a loss by Australia against New Zealand, for the local team to move into second place.
Results
Day 4 – Match play
South Africa v New Zealand (0/1)
New Zealand won 4 of their 7 matches played
Foursomes
Kelli Shean/ Bertine Strauss v Tammy Clelland/ Penny Smith (1UP)
Ashleigh Simon/ Gina Switala v Yeon Song Kim/ Da Som Lee (1UP) New Zealand
Singles
Bertine Strauss lost Larissa Eruera 5/3
Gina Switala lost Yeon Song Kim 2/1
Iliska Verwey lost Tammy Clelland 2UP
Kelli Shean beat Da Som Lee 6/4
Ashleigh Simon beat Penny Smith 6/5
Australia v Canada (0/1)
Canada won 4 of their 7 matches played
Foursomes
Frances Bondad/ Sunny Park v Maude-Aimee Leblanc/ Sue Kim (4/3) Canada
Emma Bennett/Stephanie Na v Mary Ann Lapointe/Meaghan Leblanc (3/2)
Singles
Helen Ho lost Mary Ann Lapointe 2/1
Stephanie Na lost Sue Kim 2/1
Sunny Park lost Maude-Aimee Leblanc 4/2
Frances Bondad beat Meaghan Leblanc 3/2
Emma Bennett beat Lindsay Knowlton 5/3
Current Overall log (Points)
Great Britain 3 points (17 ½ matches won)
Canada 2 points (10 ½ matches won)
Australia 1 point (11 ½ matches won)
South Africa 1 point (9 matches won)
New Zealand 1 point (7 ½ matches won)
Official draw Friday 11th (Final day)
Australia vs New Zealand
Great Britain vs South Africa
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