After a pair of 2&1 morning foursomes defeats, Western Province earned a valiant 2-2 tie in the afternoon singles but ultimately lost 2-4 to Gauteng North on a brutal opening day of the 2024 SA Women’s Interprovincial at Humewood Golf Club.
Calm but sweltering conditions greeted the players for the morning round and as the mercury rose, so did the level of play. After losing the first two holes of their tie with Zané Kleynhans and Lourenda Steyn, team captain Bobbi Brown and Kaitlyn van de Vyfer restored parity with pars and victories at the 4th and 9th respectively. That both pairings made the turn in one-over 37 is a testament to just how good the scoring was over the front-9.
The theme continued on the inward-nine as Kleynhans and Steyn complemented birdie-4s and victories at the 11th and 15th with a further win via a par at 13. Despite clawing back a hole at the 16th, Brown and van der Vyfer were unable to prevent a 2&1 defeat.
Western Province pair Odette Booysen and Zayaan Hendricks made a rollicking start to their match against Megan Marais and Phenyo Sebata with three wins inside the first five holes against a loss at the third. Their opponents made inroads into the deficit with a win at the 8th to turn 2-Down.
Wins by Gauteng North at both 10 and 12 set the stage for a thrilling conclusion before Province edged again once more after parring the 14th. Gauteng North were quick to respond with pars of their own at 15 and 16 to seize control of the tie late in the game. A halved penultimate hole meant a perfect start to the tie for Gauteng North, leaving WP with it all to do in the afternoon.
In the time it takes to grab a quick bite, have a practice putt or two and head out for the afternoon singles, things can change dramatically.
The heat was replaced by a breeze which became a gale and at a number of times throughout the afternoon felt like a hurricane. Whilst I readied for the singles matches, the umbrella at my table was even lifted clean out of its holder in the centre of the table, crashing to the ground a few feet behind me.
The players were in for a treat.
The players spent the afternoon chasing their balls around the seaside track. Hurriedly marking their spots on the green. I hurried after my cap and thanks to the help of a fleet-footed Scotsman it wasn’t lost to the bushes or beach!
Hendricks began the afternoon like a whirlwind with four wins in as many holes to start her match with Sebata. Her advantage increased to six as she chalked up wins at both the seventh and eighth, turning in three-over 39 which was incredibly solid play under the trying circumstances.
Wins at 10 and 12 either side of a loss to a birdie secured a morale-boosting 7&6 triumph for Hendricks and her side.
Captain Brown accounted for WP’s other point, prevailing 4&3 over Kleynhans. In a war of attrition amid the stiffening wind, the pair traded wins at the opening two holes before Brown reeled off three victories in a row. She had an immediate response to a sixth-hole loss, notching a par for the win at the very next hole.
Aided by the breeze, the Steenberg member hit a booming drive down the par-4 9th and inexplicably found the bush beyond the green. Forced to reload, she’d lose the hole to a bogey but restored her 3-up advantage with a birdie at 11.
Brown’s par-3 at 14 was good enough to increase her advantage to 4 before a halved 15th meant she ran out a comfortable victor.
After being 2-down through five against Marais, Booysen fought her way back into the match with wins at the seventh and 8th. Marais edged ahead at the turn through a win at 9 and despite Booysen’s immediate response, Marais sealed the win 3&2 after three wins in a four-hole stretch from the 11th.
After an opening-hole win against Steyn, van der Vyfer battled to recover from four losses in five holes from the 2nd. Having reduced the deficit to 2 holes with a win at the 8th, the Royal Cape member fell three holes adrift once more after a loss at 10. The 14-year-old must be credited for the fight she showed as she picked up wins at both 14 and 16 but a loss at 17 to a par consigned her to a 2&1 defeat.
Province will look to rebound on Day 2 as they take on Central Gauteng, 6-0 winners over Boland on day one and Southern Cape who downed North-West 4-2.
Photo: Western Province Golf