Mixed fortunes for Province golfers as women excel, while men take the drop

IT was a mixed bag of results in team format for WP’s men and women golfers in 2017, particularly during September’s South African Inter-Provincials.

The women did themselves and their province proud by winning the coveted title for the second time in four years, while their male counterparts were relegated for the first time in decades.

WP’s Super Seniors men made another successful defence of their title edging Central Gauteng by a point.

WP women downed two-time defending champions Gauteng 6-3 on the third and final day at Mossel Bay to end unbeaten after earlier-round victories over Ekurhuleni and Free State.

Gauteng headed to Mossel Bay as favourites after back-to-back titles won at Centurion in 2015 and Umhlali last year.

And the Johannesburg outfit laid down an early marker when they romped to a nine-shot victory in the 36-hole seeding round.

Province came home in second place ahead of Ekurhuleni, while host union Southern Cape sealed the final spot in Division 1.

Kaylah Williams ( captain), Katia Schaff, Ashley Mills, Vicki Traut, Zayb Fredericks and Jordan Rothman made up the WP team.

Williams and Rothman are both 15-year-olds.

“It was a dream come true,” said Williams. “It’s never easy to win all your matches at the IPT and we are over the moon that we pulled it through.”

WP’s men were in Johannesburg at the Bryanston Country Club and the former multiple champions made a strong start with back-to-back victories over Gauteng North and Southern Cape, but then the wheels came off as the eight-man team made up of Elton James, Gerlou Roux, Adrian Ford, Cameron Johnston, Elmo Barnard, Deon Germishuys, Carlo O’ Reilly and Chris Wicks lost their remaining three fixtures to KwaZulu-Natal (9-3), Ekurhuleni (6½-5½) and eventual winners Central Gauteng (8-4).

The end result was last place on the standings and relegation to the B IPTs for 2018.

Central, who won four of five outings, won 35½ games in total, Province could only muster 25½.

Ford was Province’s best player overall with the former professional banking 5½ points from a possible 10 (three in foursomes with one loss, 2½ in five singles rubbers) – Bryce Leach of Central topped the points table with an incredible 9½ to earn the most valuable player accolade.

Johnston, Barnard and Wicks each earned 4½ points for their side’s cause, while O’Reilly netted 4.

Roux (3½) and skipper James (3) contributed to a lesser extent, while the balance were marked absent.

The Super Seniors once again delivered the goods at Pezula Championship Course in Knysna in the first week of this month.

Doing duty for the Mother City’s six-man team were Herman September, Jan Vorster, Anton Bezuidenhout, John Winter, Henry Trevenna and Mark Hair.

Province went unbeaten winning four of five matches with one draw against Central (4½-4½) on the fourth and final day.

The WP Senior team ( September and Trevenna included) finished runners- up to Central Gauteng at their IPT.