JOHANNESBURG (26 April 2012) – The eight man team from South Africa put on another impressive show for a third day running and stayed the course in their title defence at this year’s Africa Zone VI Golf Championships in Malawi.
The players put in another striking performance in Thursday’s singles at Lilongwe Golf Club to walk with seven and a half out of a possible eight points.
Southern Cape’s Shaun Smith was the team’s lead henchman with an 8&6 win over Malawi, while Drikus Bruyns from Boland came a close second when he sent his challenger from Mozambique packing with a 6&4 result.
Western Province’s JP Strydom beat his Ugandan challenger 5&4, while Limpopo’s CJ du Plessis cleaned up 5&4 against Zimbabwe.
Debutants Muzi Nethunzwi from Soweto and Gert Myburgh from Ekurhuleni both closed out for victories, with Nethunzwi knocking out his opponent from Mauritius 2&1 while Myburgh won his match against Tanzania 4&2.
Reigning SA Stroke Play champion Haydn Porteous completed the run for South Africa with a 4&3 victory over his Namibian adversary.
“The team came out in full strength again today and every player worked hard to secure victory in his match, ” said South African Golf Association president, Colin Burger.
“Although we lost just a half point from Zander Lombard’s halve against Uganda, Zander gave the game every effort and did very well to force a halve. I think that with 22 ½ points out of 24, we really can’t complain.”
The South African squad won all their singles matches in the first round and lost just one match in the Betterball and Foursomes matches on day two. It will take a monumental effort to derail the local side from their winning march.
“I’m very proud with how hard this team has worked and the way in which they have supported each other at this tournament,” said Burger. “We are in a very strong position to defend our title and we remain on course to win the Africa Zone VI Championships for an 11th time since the championship started in 2000.”
