They may have lost their final game against Southern Cape 5.5-6.5 but the comprehensive victories registered earlier in the week paid dividends as Western Province eased to a 37-33 Game-point victory over North-West in the 63rd SA Premier Interprovincial Tournament at Stellenbosch Golf Club on Friday.
All week there signs of a potential Province victory: Three-time IPT winner Werner Theart was the Team Manager. Theart remarked that he hadn’t seen weather as bad as what was experienced in Stellenbosch since the 08′ edition… His first victory as a player in unrelenting rain at Hermanus Golf Club. And then there was Theart’s cart…
On Day one as I sidled up to him to watch the afternoon singles matches against North-West, Theart asked whether I’d noticed his cart number. 17. 2024 was the 17th IPT he’d been a part of after 16 as a player. We said all week it was a good omen and so it proved.
Photo: Western Province Team Manager Werner Theart watches Day 4 action at the 63rd SA Premier Interprovincial Tournament. Credit: GolfRSA
A victory against Southern Cape would’ve rounded off a successful week nicely but the hard graft over the opening four days afforded the 8-man side deserved breathing room.
The day began brightly with Andries Van der Vyfer and Henru Walters delivering a fifth full foursomes point by a 2&1 margin over Ivan Williams and Ryan Melville. Buffeted by a strong wind throughout the round, the Province pair made the turn all-square after two wins and two losses over the front-nine. They stamped their authority on the match coming home though as they won the 11th, 14th and 16th in 4s against just one loss at the 13th, eventually prevailing 2&1.
Cole Cruickshank and Mitch Phigeland routed Pieter Coetzee and Dewan de Bruin 5&4. Southern Cape weren’t allowed into the game at any point from the opening hole loss to the 5th unanswered defeat 12 holes later. Ending the week with a 4-1-0 record, the softly spoken pairing certainly proved to be Province’s silent assassins!
Westlake’s Dan Copeman and Shaun Le Roux snatched a half from the jaws of defeat in their match against Liam Ross and Juan Barnard. On the verge of defeat at Dormie 2-Down, Copeman and Le Roux rallied with two gritty par-4s while their Southern Cape opponents were only able to card a 5 and a 6, earning Province a much-needed half point.
After falling 3-down through four holes against Ivan Verster and and Ian Barnard, Andrew Georgiou and Travis Procter fought tooth and nail to win seven, nine and 10 to square up proceedings. Unfortunately the 10th would be their last victory as losses at 11, 12 and 17 via two birdies and a par condemned them to a 3&1 defeat.
The afternoon singles drew the curtain on a phenomenal maiden Premier IPT appearance for Strand Golf Club’s Van der Vyfer. Four unanswered wins over the front-9 against Ivan Williams set the tone for a resounding victory and even after losing both 16 and 16, the 17-year-old still prevailed 2&1.
Cruickshank and Phigeland added their share of blue to the board in the afternoon. Phigeland outclassed Juan Barnard on the front-9 as he won five holes and lost just one, the par-5 8th. After winning 10 with a par, Phigeland responded to a loss two holes later by winning the 13th and 14th, thus securing an emphatic 6&4 triumph.
Cruickshank accounted for Province’s final point of the day and tournament. He and Ian Barnard traded holes for much of the front-9, turning all-square after halving just three. A loss at the 10th to a par galvanised Cruickshank who notched three wins in the next five holes to move 2-up. An immediate response to a 16th-hole loss, a par at the 17th for the win, closed out a 2&1 victory and another full point for Province.
4&3 losses for Copeman and Le Roux, 2&1 defeats for Georgiou and Walters and a 3&1 defeat for Procter in the anchor match were of little consequence.
Having comfortably swept all before them earlier in the week, it didn’t matter that North-West beat Ekhuruleni 7-5 on the final day.
Province were full value for their 37 Game points and deserved winners of the 63rd SA Premier Interprovincial Tournament.
Photo: Western Province celebrate victory at the 63rd Premier Interprovincial. Credit: GolfRSA