BENONI, 13 April 2015 – Western Province will be hunting repeat success in the INDWE SA Senior Amateur Inter-Provincial from 14-18 April, but Gauteng North is determined to spoil their party at the 27th edition of the country’s largest senior team championship.
Akasia’s Mellette Hendrikse, Ben Kleinhans and Christie le Roux will line up for Gauteng North alongside William Skinner, Chris Delport, Robin Ashby and Leon Scheepers from Zwartkop, as well as debutant Gordon Wessels from Wingate Park Country Club.
The eight-man senior team hope to end a 16-year title drought in the prestigious champion and will aim to get their title challenge off to a fast start when they face off against the defending champions and North West in the opening round at the Ebotse Links Golf Club on Tuesday.
Central Gauteng claimed back-to-back victories in 2002 and 2003, but were denied a hat-trick by KwaZulu-Natal in 2004. They reclaimed the title in 2005 and dominated the podium for six consecutive years until 2011, when the Western Province claimed both the Senior and Super Seniors Divisions at Parys Golf Club.
Western Province retained their championship titles in both divisions in Durban in 2012, but were beaten by Central Gauteng at the Euphoria Golf Estate a year later.
Province reclaimed the title at De Zalze Winelands Golf Estate last year and their Super Senior team held off a spirited final round challenge from Gauteng North and Central Gauteng to seal their fourth consecutive victory.
Rinus van Niekerk and Dirk Swanevelder from Wingate Park, Adrian Kriel from Woodhill and Akasia’s Dicky Viljoen have been tasked to hold off Province from claiming their fifth successive victory in the Super Seniors Division. The team will start their title chase against KwaZulu-Natal.
The format for all the divisions in the 27th Indwe SA Senior Amateur Inter-Provincial Championship will be foursomes and singles over four rounds of competition.
PHOTO – Reigning INDWE SA Senior Stroke Play champion Mellette Hendrikse will lead the Gauteng North senior team into battle in the 27th Indwe SA Senior Amateur Inter-Provincial Championship at Ebotse Links Golf Club; credit Catherine Kotze / SASPA.