KZN seizes 72-Hole Team Champs crown

Michaela Fletcher, Brittney-Fay Berger and Elsune Roode thwarted Gauteng North’s bid for a hat-trick of titles in the 72-Hole Teams Championship at Polokwane Golf Club on Wednesday.

Repeating their winning performance in Mossel Bay three years ago, the KwaZulu-Natal trio caught the defending champions and secured the Swiss Team Trophy with a superb final round effort.

Gauteng A set the pace with an opening 144.

KwaZulu-Natal A trailed by two shots and Ekurhuleni A was a further stroke back, however, successive rounds of 144 for KwaZulu-Natal on Tuesday saw the 2014 champions overhaul Gauteng A and finish in pole position alongside Ekurhuleni A, who combined for a second round 143 and posted 144 in the third round.

“Our goal for this year’s event was to try and dethrone Gauteng, but although we talked a big game, we were not certain we could pull it off,” said Roode. “Going into the final round tied with Ekurhuleni and having a three shot cushion over Gauteng really boosted our resolve to fight for the title.”

Fletcher and Berger produced a pair of 72s in the final round to seal the deal for KwaZulu-Natal. The winners signed off with a total score of 578 to beat Gauteng by two strokes.

“We came into the tournament as the underdogs and that label suited us just fine,” said Fletcher. “We slowly worked our way to the top by keeping things simple. Our game plan was to try to beat our opponent’s score in each round and that’s how we pushed to the finish line.”

Memphis University student Fletcher also won the Governor’s Cup as the leading individual in the 72-hole championship on three-under-par 285.

Gauteng’s Kaleigh Telfer, who aided Gauteng to second on 580, was second on even-par 288 and 15-year-old Caitlyn Macnab, who helped Ekurhuleni to third on 585, finished third on 291.

Berger, who played some great golf to finish in a tie for fourth on 293, was over the moon to share in the team’s victory.

“I played in the B-team in 2014 and it was so exciting to cheer the A-team to victory in Mossel Bay, sp I am really happy to be part of the winning team this year,” said the Kloof golfer. “Michaela and Elsune were so supportive and I loved the experience. I think seeing us beat the powerhouses will encourage the other smaller unions and inspire them to dream big and reach for the stars.”

Gauteng did not go home empty-handed, though.

Kelsey Nicholas, Lynette Fourie and Kaiyuree Moodley combined for rounds of 153, 147, 148 and 156 to win the Challenge Trophy. The Gauteng C threesome scored a runaway 14 stroke victory over Kiera Floyd, Jenefer Haw and Carmen Taljaard from Ekurhuleni B.

Swiss Team Trophy Results

578 Kwazulu Natal A 146 Michaela Fletcher 72 Brittney-Fay Berger 74; 144 Michaela Fletcher 72 Brittney-Fay Berger 72; 144 Michaela Fletcher 69 Brittney-Fay Berger 75; 144 Michaela Fletcher 72 Brittney-Fay Berger 72

580 Gauteng A 144 Woo-Ju Son 71 Kaleigh Telfer 73; 142 Woo-Ju Son 71 Kaleigh Telfer 71; 151 Kaleigh Telfer 74 Woo-Ju Son 77; 143 Kaleigh Telfer 70 Kajal Mistry 73

585 Ekurhuleni A 147 Casandra Hall 72 Caitlyn Macnab 75; 143 Caitlyn Macnab 70 Casandra Hall 73; 144 Caitlyn Macnab 70 Casandra Hall 74; 151 Sarah Bouch 75 Caitlyn Macnab 76

594 Gauteng B 149 Symone Henriques 74 Chiara Contomathios 75; 145 Symone Henriques 72 Eleonora Galletti 73; 147 Symone Henriques 73 Chiara Contomathios 74; 153 Eleonora Galletti 73 Chiara Contomathios 80

595 Gauteng North A 151 Lenanda van der Watt 73 Catherine Lau 78; 151 Larissa du Preez 75 Catherine Lau 76; 143 Larissa du Preez 70 Catherine Lau 73; 150 Lenanda van der Watt 73 Larissa du Preez 77

601 Southern Cape 149 Ethel Ruthenberg 72 Laila Hrindova 77; 151 Laila Hrindova 75 Sandra Winter 76; 150 Laila Hrindova 75 Ethel Ruthenberg 75; 151 Laila Hrindova 75 Sandra Winter 76

610 Border 153 Zethu Myeki 74 Demi Flanagan 79; 153 Zethu Myeki 73 Demi Flanagan 80; 152 Zethu Myeki 74 Demi Flanagan 78; 152 Zethu Myeki 75 Demi Flanagan 77

611 Western Province A 150 Kaylah Williams 74 Kelly Erasmus 76; 145 Katia Shaff 71 Kelly Erasmus 74; 160 Kelly Erasmus 79 Katia Shaff 81; 156 Kelly Erasmus 77 Kaylah Williams 79

615 Boland A 149 Crystal Beukes 74 Bianca Wernich 75; 151 Crystal Beukes 72 Bianca Wernich 79; 159 Crystal Beukes 79 Bianca Wernich 80; 156 Crystal Beukes 77 Bianca Wernich 79

633 Western Province B 162 Ashleigh Mills 80 Zayb Fredericks 82; 158 Ashleigh Mills 77 Zayb Fredericks 81; 157 Ashleigh Mills 74 Aaliyah Abrahams 83; 156 Zayb Fredericks 74 Ashleigh Mills 82

660 Gauteng North B 162 Adele Beytell 81 Karin Watts 81; 162 Adele Beytell 78 Karin Watts 84; 168 Karin Watts 83 Adele Beytell 85; 168 Karin Watts 80 Adele Beytell 88

673 Gauteng North C 169 Shanice De Gee 83 Genee Marais 86; 162 Marinda Pretorius 80 Shanice De Gee 82; 172 Genee Marais 86 Marinda Pretorius 86; 170 Marinda Pretorius 84 Shanice De Gee 86

Challenge Trophy Results

604 Gauteng C 153 Kelsey Nicholas 75 Lynette Fourie 78; 147 Kelsey Nicholas 73 Kaiyuree Moodley 74; 148 Kaiyuree Moodley 70 Kelsey Nicholas 78; 156 Kaiyuree Moodley 77 Kelsey Nicholas 79

618 Ekurhuleni B 155 Kiera Floyd 76 Carmen Taljaard 79; 154 Kiera Floyd 72 Jenefer Haw 82; 154 Kiera Floyd 75 Jenefer Haw 79; 155 Kiera Floyd 75 Jenefer Haw 80

624 Free State 155 Gabrielle Venter 76 Chante Van Zyl 79; 161 Gabrielle Venter 79 Chante Van Zyl 82; 157 Zanele Mazibuko 78 Chante Van Zyl 79; 151 Chante Van Zyl 75 Gabrielle Venter 76

625 Kwazulu Natal B 160 Lizzie Currie 78 Bronwyn Rae 82; 154 Lizzie Currie 77 Jessica Shurety 77; 159 Lizzie Currie 77 Jessica Shurety 82; 152 Jessica Shurety 74 Lizzie Currie 78

648 Western Province C 164 Jordan Rothman 76 Jessica Green 88; 158 Jordan Rothman 78 Odette Booysen 80; 164 Jordan Rothman 82 Odette Booysen 82; 162 Jordan Rothman 78 Jessica Green 84

649 Mpumalanga 161 Zane Naude 77 Chante Boonstra 84; 158 Zane Naude 76 Patrizia Lombard 82; 166 Chante Boonstra 80 Zane Naude 86; 164 Zane Naude 81 Chante Boonstra 83

650 North West 162 Crystal Cooper 80 Kaitlin Fensham 82; 166 Kaitlin Fensham 82 Desire Green 84; 166 Kaitlin Fensham 81 Desire Green 85; 156 Desire Green 74 Crystal Cooper 82

659 Boland B 170 Annalie Swanepoel 84 Megan Streicher 86; 162 Annalie Swanepoel 76 Megan Streicher 86; 160 Megan Streicher 80 Annalie Swanepoel 80; 167 Megan Streicher 80 Annalie Swanepoel 87

706 Eastern Province 179 Shene Du Toit 86 Minette Olivier 93; 176 Minette Olivier 88 Shene Du Toit 88; 175 Shene Du Toit 86 Minette Olivier 89; 176 Duduzile Ndhlovu 86 Minette Olivier 90

709 Limpopo 179 Mari Stroh 88 Anzel Van der Schyff 91; 177 Cherie Siebert 86 Mari Stroh 91; 185 Cherie Siebert 91 Anzel Van der Schyff 94; 168 Cherie Siebert 83 Mari Stroh 85

725 Northern Cape 186 Magdel Du Toit 90 Lilian David 96; 174 Magdel Du Toit 83 Magri Beukes 91; 181 Magri Beukes 89 Lilian David 92; 184 Magri Beukes 88 Lilian David 96

Governor’s Cup (Individual 72-hole Result)

285 Michaela Fletcher 72 72 69 72

288 Kaleigh Telfer 73 71 74 70

291 Caitlyn Macnab 75 70 70 76

293 Brittney-Fay Berger 74 72 75 72; Woo-Ju Son 71 71 77 74

296 Zethu Myeki 74 73 74 75

298 Kiera Floyd 76 72 75 75

299 Lenanda van der Watt 73 78 75 73

300 Eleonora Galletti 77 73 77 73; Casandra Hall 72 73 74 81

301 Larissa du Preez 79 75 70 77; Symone Henriques 74 72 73 82

302 Kajal Mistry 78 74 77 73; Laila Hrindova 77 75 75 75; Crystal Beukes 74 72 79 77

303 Chiara Contomathios 75 74 74 80

305 Kelsey Nicholas 75 73 78 79; Ethel Ruthenberg 72 79 75 79

306 Catherine Lau 78 76 73 79; Kelly Erasmus 76 74 79 77

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