Western Province thumped Central Gauteng 7-5 on day two of the SA Mid-Amateur IPT at Humewood Golf Club on Monday.
The first players out for Province for the second successive day, skipper David Thompson and Riaan Lewis made the ideal start by winning three of the first five holes in their tie with Jason De Gama and Johan Grobbelaar though a loss at the 3rd meant the margin was just 2 holes. Birdies at the 6th and 8th, either side of a par at 7 saw Central move 1-Up before Province hit back with a win of their own at the 9th. Province was behind the proverbial 8-ball on the back-9 however, after Gauteng carded red numbers at 10 and 13 while a par at 11 contributed to a 3-up advantage with 5 to play. Province fought hard to stay in the contest and registered wins at 14 and 16 to send the game down the 18th. Thompson and Lewis stumbled at the final hurdle though, a bogey-5 marring the fight they’d shown as a Gauteng par-4 ensured a 2-Up victory.
Adrian Ford and Geno Belfiore got off to a flying start in their game with Eddie Antoine and Alex Shahim, pars proving good enough to win holes 1, 3 and 4. Central offered brief resistance in the form of a win at the 6th. WP slammed the door shut though as Ford/Belfiore birdied the 8th and 9th before one final win, a par at the 12th rounded off a dominant 5&4 victory.
Gideon van der Vyver and Phil Taberer maintained their 100% record as a pairing in this year’s IPT with a 2-Up win over Wendell Bossenger and Tom Ryan. Stamping their authority on the match with four wins inside the first 8 holes, Province bounced back from a loss at the 9th with a win at the next before extending their commanding lead via a par two holes later. Central ensured the match would go the distance as they closed the game to just a single hole after winning the 13th with birdie, 15 and 16 in pars before a bogey was good enough at 17. Credit to Province for maintaining their composure amid the onslaught by producing a match-winning par at 18, bettering Gauteng’s effort by one shot on the hole and 2 holes on the game.
Shaun Le Roux and Wayne Melle were unable to get a foothold in the anchor match against Logan Lofstedt and Gareth Clements, falling 3 holes behind after 8. Though they halved holes 8-10, losses at 11 and 13 all but sealed their fate. Wins at 14 and 16 reduced the deficit but ultimately couldn’t prevent a 2&1 defeat.
Province continue sensational singles streak
A strong afternoon showing helped the WP outfit over the line for the third singles session in a row. Lewis made a wonderful start against De Gama by collecting wins at the 1st, 2nd and 7th holes. The King David Mowbray member turned 2 holes to the good after losing the 9th but restored his 3-up advantage with a 5 at the 11th. A loss at 12 to a par mattered little, Lewis making birdie at 13 for a win before a 5 at the 15th completed a comfortable 4&3 triumph.
Like Lewis, Taberer made a hot start as the Erinvale player won holes 1, 3 and 5. Wins at 7 and 9 in 4s were sandwiched between losses at 6 and 10. Taberer finished with a flourish, winning three holes in a row from the 11th. Fittingly, a birdie at the 13th punctuated a dominant 6&5 display.
Belfiore and Le Roux both saw off the challenges of Grobbelaar and Lofstedt 3&2. After losing the 7th to a par, Belfiore forged a 2-Up advantage, making three birdies on the spin from the 9th. Four halved holes followed before Belfiore sealed his win with a par at the 16th.
Le Roux turned in a clutch singles performance once again. Tied through 8 holes after three wins apiece on the first-9, Le Roux won the 10th and 11th in 4s but saw his lead reduced after bogeying the 12th. The Westlake member remained in the driver’s seat through a par at 14 before sealing the match with a par at the 16th.
Melle traded blows with Clements over the first 8 holes, winning the 1st, 4th and 7th against losses at the 2nd, 6th and 8th. There was no separating the pair over the ensuing five holes. The Rondebosch member wouldn’t be denied his first singles point of the week though, notching a birdie to win the 14th and another win at the 15th via a par en route to a 2&1 win.
The scoreline could’ve been even more flattering towards Province had Thompson and Ford not lost their final holes to Ryan and Antoine respectively but it was not to be as both lost 1-Down. Van der Vyver lost by the same margin to Bossenger but WP still ran out 5-3 victors in the session and 7-5 winners on the day.
Province will now enjoy a well-deserved bye on day three before facing Ekhuruleni and Northern Cape on Thursday.
Photo: Philip Taberer of Western Province in action during the 2024 SA Mid-Amateur IPT. Credit: ERNEST BLIGNAULT SUPERSHOTS