September 29, 2011. Team SA for the 17th amateur world golfers championship, to be hosted at Zimbali from October 29 until November 4, was announced yesterday.
After strenuous competition, the SA selection was whittled down to just 10, with the announcement made my World Golf Events at the Zimbali Country Club.
In the picture: Lara Oberholzer, winner in the 21-25 flighting
For the past 16 years the World Golfers Championship (WGC) has inspired amateur golfers from around the world to take up the challenge of competing within their own skill levels and experiencing the thrill and excitement of a professional golf tournament. Now in its 17th year, South Africa will, for the first time, play host to this prestigious event and give KZN the opportunity to once again showcase its skill at staging a world cup event.
The selection of two teams to represent South Africa began with regional elimination rounds that took place in five provinces. Zimbali Country Club was the first to tee-off on August 2, followed by West Lake Golf Course in Cape Town, the Bryanston Country Club in Gauteng, Zebula Golf Estate in Limpopo and the Free State, playing the final regional elimination at the Bloemfontein Country Club on September 13. Avid golfers from all over the country took up the challenge with some entering more than one provincial elimination in the hope of increasing their chances of winning a place in the Team South Africa Final.
At the end of the regional eliminations, 60 regional winners received an all-expenses paid trip to the Team SA Final hosted from September 26-28 at Zimbali Country Club. This included accommodation at the prestigious 5-Star hotel at Fairmont Zimbali Resort, which is also host to the World Championships from October 29 until November 4. The resort, with its unique mixed-use bouquet of vacation ownership products was given a royal thumbs up from the international contingent who came out earlier to inspect the championship venue.
Regional winners
“Our regional winners will have the opportunity to experience the same mounting pressures of playing golf under competitive conditions as that of professional golfers. In this way the WGC delivers on its promise to offer amateur golfers the true experience of an international golfing event,” said Craig Clay-Smith, spokesman for World Golf Events South Africa, the event owners and organisers who have brought this prestigious event to Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa for three years, 2011 – 2013.
Day one of the Team SA Final proved to be a challenging day with rainy conditions that added no relief to the nerves of competing for a coveted position to wear the official Team South Africa World Golfers Championship blazer. After a tiring first day, the golfers returned for an early tee-off and ready to tackle day two. With the weather playing its part by ensuring drier playing conditions, the players remained focussed on overcoming the terrain and fairway challenges of the 36-hole course while drawing on the inspiration of the picturesque landscape of Zimbali Coastal Resort.
After calculating the score sheets and verifying all the winners’ handicaps within the flighting they entered and played, Dale Hayes, professional golfer and the Technical Director for the regional events and the 17th Amateur World Golfers Championship, announced the winners of Team South Africa as Naude Watson and Jean Pierre Le Roux (0-5 flighting); Tommy Padayachee and Jurie Jerling (6-10 flighting); Janus Horn and Kumalan Munsamy (11-15 flighting); Tony Hug and Andries Claasens (16-20 flighting) and Lara Oberholzer and Wayne Tromp (21-25 flighting).
Skill levels
World famous golfing legend and Patron of WGC, Arnold Palmer, had this to say about the 17th Amateur World Golfers Championship: “The WGC represents an important development in the game of golf by allowing all amateur golfers to compete against others of their own skill levels in a world-wide championship event. The concept of WGC is outstanding with its motto ‘Sport Promotes Friendship and Business’ and will continue to increase the growth of golf around the world.”
The World Final takes place from November 1-5 and will be hosted across four of KZN’s most prestigious golf courses, namely Zimbali Country Club, Prince’s Grant, Durban Country Club and Umhlali Country Club.
Hayes had this to say about the sport of golf: “Golf is without doubt the greatest game in the world, played by 50 million people traversing some of the most beautiful locations in the world. Golf truly separates the champions from the mere mortals. In golf, there are no referees, the players are merely expected to do the right thing. Show me a man who is not challenged over 18 holes, and I will show you a liar.”
For info: www.wgesa.com