Rona Erasmus (Ladies Captain of PCC) and Nicole Hannah
The Champion of Champions is an invitation only tournament. If during the course of the year a player was able to win his or her Club Championship this person receives an automatic invitation to the tournament. This event features all the winners of the respective clubs in the GNGU at one venue trading blows.
The men and women play at different venues on the same day. Past Winners of the women’s trophy include, Connie Chen, Henriette Frylinck, Kim Williams, Marinda Pretorius, Crystal Cooper and Gina Switala. This year Nicole Hannah took home ground advantage at Pretoria Country Club and added her name to this illustrious list. Andrew van der Knaap seized the opportunity at Blue Valley Country Club to record his name in the history books, trophy and tree next to names like, Fichard, Lambert, Sterne, Ahlers, Coetzee, Timba, Frittelli and Zietsman.
Paul Davel and Andrew van der Knaap
The Champion of the Senior’s, B and C divisions of all the clubs is also invited. This year Mellette Hendrikse won the senior division with a stunning 6 under par. Christo Smit from Akasia CC won the B-Division whilst Blue Valley member Warwick Lombard took the honours in the C-Division. The ladies saw ML Grobler a Silver Lakes CC member as the senior division winner, whilst Naomi vom Hagen of Akasia CC and Susan Venter also from Silver Lakes CC were crowned as B and C division winners respectively.
Another noteworthy aspect of this tournament is the winner’s tree planted at Blue Valley CC. Four years ago, the GNGU Executive and Blue Valley CC decided that the men’s tournament would return to the club every year. Each year the GNGU donates a tree to the club with the winners name added to that specific tree. The Champion of Champions tree of commemoration can be found next to the 10th tee box.