Defending champions Gauteng will be up against tough competition in the A Section of the Pick ‘n Pay Inter-Provincial Golf Championship, which takes place at Clovelly Golf Club in Cape Town from 4-7 September.
Since the departure of their top players to the pro ranks earlier this year, the Lions, captained by Kim Brookes, have been grooming a new line-up that includes Caitlin Beckwith, Nadia Esterhuyse, Lizelle Muller, Tandi von Ruben and Mercia Pretorius.
Other contenders for the 2007 title include North West, Gauteng North, Southern Cape and Western Province.
Captain Yolande Storm of Gauteng North A will be urging her team of Kim Williams (who recently finished fourth overall in the SAAB international Junior Championship in Belgium), Gina Switala, Zelda Smook, Henriette Frylink and Eugenie Clack to win back into the A Section of the championship.
North West’s Mariette Language and Elru Botha are the backbone of this young group of contenders also including Nicole Botha (at least four top-10 finishes in her previous seven tournaments), Claudette Beukes and rising star Bertine Strauss (who recently won the Gauteng Junior Championship).
Western Province are playing their experienced crew of Gilly Tebbutt, Wendy Warrington, Joanne Lefson, Jaquie Rathfelder, and have introduced junior team mate Dominique Jacobs, who has proved her mettle over a number of high profile tournaments.
Sandra Winter’s group of Southern Cape Flyers, coming into this event on a high after the 72-Hole Team Stroke Play Championship, will be fighting for the crown this year.
Introducing some new players are Monique Smit, who came 10th overall in the SAAB junior International Championship, and Ashleigh Holmes, who has come into her own over the past yea, and is sure to offer tough competition.
This fiercely competitive team event has been a learning ground for many of the country’s top golfers, and top players like Stacy Bregman and Ashleigh Simon have come through its ranks.
The format of the event sees all teams competing on day one in a Stroke Play qualifying round (every shot counts towards a total score for the round), after which the teams are divided into 4 divisions of 4 teams each.
These teams then complete over the remainder of the tournament in a round-robin Match Play competition (scored on a hole-by-hole basis). “This allows teams to compete strength on strength, and each division is very hotly contested,” says Vivian Horak, secretary for Women’s Golf SA.
The tournament coincidentally marks key celebrations, with Pick ‘n Pay celebrating it’s 40th birthday, and the 10th anniversary of their sponsorship of the SA Women’s Inter-Provincial Tournament.
In timely tribute, the tournament is going “home” to the Clovelly Golf Club in the Western Cape, where the partnership began.
Says Horak: “Pick ‘n Pay always has some innovative ideas which they bring to the tournament – last year it was bandana’s which were sold to raise funds for cancer.”
To see amateur golf’s top talent, be sure to pop into Clovelly Golf Club from the 4th – 7th September, to find out who will follow in Ashleigh’s foot steps!
News and Results will be posted on the official Women’s Golf SA website.
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