EXECUTIVE REPORT FOR THE YEAR APRIL 2017 TO MARCH 2018 This report covers the activities and achievements of Womens Golf South Africa for the above-mentioned period which was again, an exceedingly full year with several highlights. NATIONAL TOURNAMENTS NOMADS ROSE BOWL 54 HOLE GIRLS CHAMPIONSHIP, ROYAL DURBAN, 3 – 4 APRIL 2017 This was the 8th Rose Bowl Championship run by WGSA and 6th sponsored by Nomads; the event was hosted by Royal Durban Country Club. Royal Durban Country Club may have been bathed in sun for much of the day, but the conditions belied the severity of wind gusts that proved hugely challenging for the 66 juniors competing in the first two rounds of the Nomads SA Girls Rose Bowl Championship on Monday. WGSA “B” Squad Player Kaiyuree Moodley (GAU) claimed the 2017 Nomads SA Girl’s Rose Bowl Championship with a determined performance. Moodley edged out former champion Chiara Contomathios from Wanderers by one shot and finished two strokes clear of Ekurhuleni duo Kiera Floyd and Caitlyn Macnab on a score of 234 (80, 82, 72). The 10 – 18 handicap division was won by Elham Shaik (KZN) on 276 (88, 91, 97) two shots ahead of Demi Lamp (KZN) on 278 (96, 96, 86). The stableford Bronze Division was won by Kamaya Moodliar (KZN) with 82 points and Mikah Poonawassy (NC) was runner up with 72 points. Blackberries were used for the live scoring in all divisions. The Nomads and WGSA sponsorship enabled ten girls to be chaperoned and for all their tournament, travel, accommodation and meal costs to be covered by the sponsorship. SANLAM SA WOMEN’S AMATEUR STROKE PLAY CHAMPIONSHIP, WANDERERS GOLF CLUB, 23 - 25 APRIL 2017 The beautiful Wanderers Golf Course played host for this 54 Hole stroke play event comprising a total of 76 players. 62 “A” Division players (handicaps 9 and under) and 14 “B” Division players (handicaps 10 – 18) participated. Kajal Mistry (GAU) won the tournament on 212 (69, 69, 74) with Symone Henriques (GAU) the runner up on 213 (74, 69, 70). Genee Marais (GN) on 255 (88, 87, 80) won the “B” Division on the first hole of a play-off against Luzan Esterhuizen (BOR) on 255 (83, 85, 87). Entry fees were refunded to two foreign players with single figure handicaps, Emily Jones and Madina Hussein 72-HOLE TEAMS CHAMPIONSHIP, POLOKWANE GOLF CLUB, 21 - 24 MAY 2017 The event was successfully hosted at Polokwane Golf Club. Accommodation was sourced nearby for all the Executive and participating teams. RESULTS A Division - Swiss Team Trophy Winners: Kwazulu-Natal A (Brittney-Fay Berger, Michaela Fletcher, Elsune Roode) 578 1 Runner up: Gauteng A (Kajal Mistry, Woo-Ju Son, Kaleigh Telfer) 580 B Division - Challenge Trophy Winners: Gauteng C (Lynette Fourie, Kaiyuree Moodley, Kelsey Nicholas) 604 Runner up: Ekurhuleni B: (Kiera Floyd, Jenefer Haw, Carmen Taljaard) 618 Individual: The Governors’ Trophy Winner: Michaela Fletcher (285) Runner up: Kaleigh Telfer (288) Third: Caitlyn Macnab (291) Fourth: Brittney-Fay Berger (293) & Woo-Ju Son (293) NOMADS SA GIRLS CHAMPIONSHIPS, ORKNEY GOLF CLUB, 2 – 4 JULY 2017 The Nomads SA Girls Championship was once again held at Orkney, North West. The cost of green fees, accommodation, meals and travel are met by our national sponsor, Nomads, together with WGSA and the provincial unions, and no girl is excluded because of financial constraints. We have yet to find a golf course with the safe, convenient accommodation option available at Orkney. The winner of this Championship receives an invitation to the Duke of York Young Champions Trophy on condition that she meets their eligibility criteria. All the girls and their chaperones were accommodated at The Key across the road from the club. Once again local members collected scorers on iPads on every third hole and live scoring was available on the WGSA website. Number of players: A Division (handicaps 9 and under) 54 holes stroke play – 38 players B Division (handicaps 10 – 18) 54 holes stroke play – 43 players C Division (handicaps 19 – 25) 36 holes stableford – 16 players D Division (handicaps 26 – 32) 36 holes stableford – 5 players Under 16: 47 players A-Division: Handicaps 9 and Under – Jenny Bruce Trophy Championship Winner: Woo-Ju Son (GAU) (215) Runner Up: Chiara Contomathios (GAU) (222) 3rd: Kajal Mistry (GAU) (222) Winner: 16 & Under: Caitlyn Macnab (EKU) (227) B Division: Handicaps 10 – 18 – Esther Cutler Trophy Winner: Marine Legentil (GAU) (247) Runner Up: Kim Turgut (GAU) (254) C Division: Handicaps 19 – 25 – Jean Eustice Trophy Winner: Marne van der Merwe (LIM) 77 Runner up: Xavier Arries (WP) (76) D Division: Handicaps 26 – 32 – Faith Daniel Trophy Winner: Thaakirah Bickoo (EP) (83) Runner up: Chloe Buss (BOR) (69) Teams: Jackie Mercer Gross Trophy: Gauteng: Kajal Mistry & Woo-Ju Son (291) Nett Team prize: Ekurhuleni: Teagan Lubbe & Jenefer Haw (285) 2 Sanette Marais Bronze Division Team Prize: Gauteng North: Jutta Tecklenburg & Cinteche du Plessis (140) SANLAM SA AMATEUR MATCH PLAY CHAMPIONSHIP, STELLENBOSCH GC, 16 - 19 JULY 2017 Entries are limited to 64 in order to guarantee players at least 4 rounds of tournament play. The entry of only 52 players was disappointing. The final was very exciting with overseas entrant Jessica Dreesbeimdieke and Cara Gorlei fighting it out to the final hole which Cara won with a superb putt. This Championship is held at this time of year so our players at colleges overseas may be afforded the chance of entering whilst home for the holidays. A special note of thanks again to Sanlam for supporting WGSA in our endeavour to grow this Championship. RESULTS: 36 Hole Seeding Round Winner: Cara Gorlei (WP) 145 (75, 70) 2nd: Kaleigh Telfer (GAU) 145 (75, 71) 3rd: Jessica Dreesbeimdieke (NAM) 147 (76 ,71) MATCH PLAY CHAMPIONSHIP: Champion: Cara Gorlei (WP) Runner up: Jessica Dreesbeimdieke (NAM) Semi-finalists 3rd: Sarah Bouch (EKU) Semi-finalists 4th: Zethu Myeki (BOR) PLATE: Winner: Cleo Jordaan (WP) Runner up: Lynne Behagg (BOL) Semi-finalists 3rd: Aaliyah Abrahams (WP) Semi-finalists 4th: Jessica Green (WP) SA INTER-PROVINCIAL TOURNAMENT, MOSSEL BAY GOLF CLUB, 25 – 29 SEPTEMBER 2017 The flag raising ceremony signalled the start of the 57th South African Women’s Inter-Provincial Championship and the 3rd time that this tournament has been held without sponsorship. Due to very inclement weather, flag raising took place inside the club house. The teams were piped in by a young piper and the National Anthem resounded around the clubhouse. WGSA President, Sally Greasley welcomed the dignitaries, players and spectators. Graeme Viljoen, Manager of Mossel Bay Golf Club, handed over the course on behalf of Mossel Bay Golf Club. Stroke Play Qualifier Round: Best Individual Gross: Jordan Rothman (WP) 71 Runner up Individual Gross: Zethu Myeki (BOR) 71 Results of the Foursomes & Singles Stroke Play Qualifying Rounds: A Inter Provincial: Jean Tindall Memorial Trophy (6 players per team) Winners: Gauteng A (538) (Chiara Contomathios, Elenora Galletti, Symone Henriques, Kajal Mistry, Kaiyuree Moodley, Woo-Ju Son) Runners Up: Western Province A (547) (Zayb Fredericks, Ashleigh Mills, Jordan Rothman, Katia Shaff, Vicki Traut, Kaylah Williams) B Inter Provincial Winners: Nolan Karp Trophy (4 players per team) Winners: Western Province B (425) 3 (Aaliyah Abrahams, Laylaah Abrahams, Iman Adams, Odette Booysen) Runners Up: Kwazulu Natal (428) (Lizzie Currie, Bronwyn Rae, Elsune Roode, Jessica Shurety) Results of the Inter Provincial Match Play: Winners: A Division Section 1: Western Province A (Zayb Fredericks, Ashleigh Mills, Jordan Rothman, Katia Shaff, Vicki Traut, Kaylah Williams) Winners: A Division Section 2: Gauteng North A (Adele Beyell, Frankie Bosman, Lindi Coetzee, Larissa du Preez, Cleo Jordan, Lenanda van der Watt) Winners: B Division Section 1: Kwazulu Natal (Lizzie Currie, Bronwyn Rae, Elsune Roode, Jessica Shurety) Winners: B Division Section 2: Mpumalanga (Chante Boonstra, Thandeka Hlatshwayo, Patrizia Lombard, Zane Naude) The winners of the B Inter Provincial are given the option of taking promotion to the A Inter Provincial in 2018. Kwazulu Natal have agreed to take the promotion. The Gilly Tebbutt Trophy for the top ranked player at the end of September each year was presented to Kajal Mistry. SANLAM CANCER CHALLENGE FINAL – SUN CITY, 9 - 10 OCTOBER 2017 Over R4.2 million was again raised this year for the Cancer Association of South Africa (CANSA) by the Sanlam Cancer Challenge (SCC), Southern Africa’s largest amateur charity golf series. Over 40 000 golfers took part from 780 clubs throughout South Africa, Namibia and Kenya with the final being down to just over 100 golfers who qualified for the 36-hole National Finals. Once again, these players were treated to the very special hospitality of Sanlam and Sun City. This was the 25th anniversary of a series that annually raises money for the Cancer Association of South African. OVERALL LADIES WINNER: Joyce Hughes (GAU) 75 points SA MID-AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP, KIMBERLEY GC, 6 – 8 NOVEMBER 2017 43 Players entered this year’s SA Mid-Amateur Championship. The entry was down from last year’s figure and numbers remain a concern. WGSA would really like to see this Championship grow in stature amongst the 35 and over age group, as this group of players are the backbone of Womens Golf. After two years of being hosted in the south of the country, the tournament moved to Northern Cape for the first time. To grow the Mid-Amateur tournaments WGSA has implemented a Mid-Amateur Ranking in 2018 and four Unions have added Mid-Amateur Championship events which brings the number of provincial events to seven. Together with the national championship our Mid-Amateurs now have a series of eight events. We hope this will encourage players from around the country to play in their Provincial Mid-Amateur Championships and the National event.