Lali Stander –
VEREENIGING (27 May 2013) – Gauteng North wasted no time to take the early control of both divisions at this year’s 72 Hole Teams Championship at Maccauvlei Golf Club in Monday’s first round.
Gunning for their sixth successive title in the A-Division of this prestigious annual national team competition, the Gauteng North A team finished well clear of their stable mates, Gauteng North B, while Gauteng North C opened up a yawning gap on their challengers in the B-Division.
Nobuhle Dlamini, the country’s number one ranked player, dropped just one shot on her way to four-under-par 69, while Williams – still recovering from a bad bout of flu – produced a three over 76 to give the side an opening score of one-under-par 145.
The team’s third member, Magda Kruger, signed for a non-counting 77.
Meanwhile Crystal Cooper fired an even-par 73 and Carrie Park contributed a 77 to help Gauteng B into second spot. Cooper, Park and Gina Switala (78) trail the leaders by three shots and has a three shot lead on Boland A and Western Province A at 153.
The girls in blue also dominated proceedings in the B-Section, opening up a yawning gap on their nearest challengers.
Gauteng North C’s Eugenie Clack fired a 73, Helena Buitendag produced an 80, while Sylvia Masango closed with a non-counting 81.
The team top the Challenge Trophy leaderboard at seven-over-par 151 and will take an 11 shot lead into Tuesday’s second round.
Dlamini also leads the individual standings by four shots from Clark and Cooper, with Mpumalanga’s Monja Richards tied for fourth alongside Ji Sun Kang from Western Province and Boland’s Bianca Lohbauer after opening 75’s.
Defending champion Williams shares seventh with Ekurhuleni’s Nicole Garcia on 76.
TEAMS RESULT
Swiss Trophy (Division A)
145 – Gauteng North A
150 – Gauteng North B
153 – Western Province A; Boland A (153)
155 – Mpumalanga
156 – Gauteng A
158 – Western Province B; Gauteng B
159 – KwaZulu-Natal A
160 – Ekurhuleni A
165 – North West A
168 – Southern Cape
Challenge Trophy (Division B)
153 – Gauteng North C
164 – Border; Eastern Province; Ekurhuleni B
165 – Free State & Northern Cape
166 – Limpopo
167 – Gauteng C
170 – North West B
172 – Boland B
174 – Western Province C
175 – WGSA Invitational Team
180 – KwaZulu-Natal B
INDIVIDUAL LEADERBOARD – TOP 10
69 Nobuhle Dlamini SWZ
73 Eugenie Clack; Crystal Cooper
75 Monja Richards; Ji Sun Kang; Bianca Lohbauer
76 Kim Williams; Nicole Garcia
77 Magda Kruger; Carrie Park; Lara Weinstein
