PORT ELIZABETH, 7 July 2016 – Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University will be gunning for a double celebration after both the A- and B-teams reached the final round of the University Sport South Africa (USSA) Championship on Thursday.

After whipping the University of Pretoria’s B-team 4.5 – 1.5 and thereby eliminating half of the defending champions’ challenge on day four, NMMU A will face Tuks A at Humewood Golf Club in the battle for Cup Champion honours.

Their B-team will go up against North West University A for the B-Section title.

NMMU A’s Luke Jerling and Jacques Smit won 1-up and Colin Baldie and Michael Maybery followed suit to secure a 2 – 0 lead in the Foursomes.

Maybery defeated Andrew Plint 6 & 5 to extend their lead, but Gregg Gilson reduced the gap to two when he downed Smith 4 & 3. Jerling beat Pieter Muller 2 & 1 to take NMMU A’s tally to 4 – 1 and Baldie drove the nail in Tuks B’s coffin when he halved his game against James Kennedy.

Combrink Smit and Ryan Lane scored the first round for Tuks A against Varsity College when they took the first Foursomes game 4 & 3, but Clayton Mansfield and Jason Broomhead rallied to square their game against Andrew van der Knaap and Marco Loubser.

But Tuks A took their 1.5 – 0.5 lead and rode it to a smashing victory in the Singles.

Van der Knaap took first blood when he pounded Broomhead 6 & 5, and Loubser followed on his team-mates’ heels with a 5 & 4 result against Christoff Byleveldt. Smit knocked out Mansfield 4 & 3 and Lane made it four for four in the Singles when he downed Shannon Naidoo 2 & 1.

NMMU B’s Johan Coetzer, Steve Dent, Wihan Kleyn and Hando Brophy won both their Foursomes games and took three of the four Singles, to send North West B packing with a 5.5 – 0.5 result.

The University of Johannesburg almost did the same to North West A, but after finishing in a 3-all draw, Pukke A made it through to the final round by taking the match in a play-off.

Meanwhile, University of Zululand A continued to dominate the C-Division action.

Sihle Mathenjwo carded 21 points to join team-mate Vusumuzi Mtetwa at the top of the standings on 38 points, and the pair lead by four from Khayalethu Ngcanu, who matched Mtetwa’s 19 points in round two.

Joint overnight leader Nkululeko Shezi slipped to fourth on 31 after posting 12 points, while Limpopo University A’s Diko Makaringe vaulted to fifth on 25 points after signing for 18 points.

SECOND ROUND RESULTS
A-DIVISION
Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University A 4.5 – University of Pretoria B 1.5
University of Pretoria A 5.5 – Varsity College A 0.5

B-DIVISION
North West A 3 – University of Johannesburg A 3 (North West A won play-off)
Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University B 5.5 – North West B 0.5

C-DIVISION
38 Vusumuzi Mtetwa (University of Zululand A) 19 19; Sihle Mathenjwo (University of Zululand A) 17 21
34 Khayalethu Ngcanu (University of Zululand A) 15 19
31 Nkululeko Shezi (University of Zululand A) 19 12
25 Diko Makaringe (Limpopo University A) 7 18
17 Sive Mnikina (Walter Sisulu University A) 10 7
16 Joel Malemela (Limpopo University A) 6 10
14 George Segane (Limpopo University A) 9 5
13 Sithembele Zim (Walter Sisulu University) 7 6
12 Wanda Mnomiya (U Zululand (B) 6 6
10 Kagiso Modika (Limpopo University A) 4 6; Thobelan Mhlongo (University of Zululand B) 1 9; Zamani Masinga (University of Zululand B) 0 10
7 Mvuseni Nene (University of Zululand B) 3 4
4 Thapelo Phohleli (Walter Sisulu University A) 1 3
2 Sive Luswana (Walter Sisulu University A) 2 0

PHOTO 2 – TUKS A and B; credit Danielle du Plessis
Back row, ltr – James Kennedy, Pieter Muller, Combrink Smit and Gregg Gilson
Front row, ltr – Ryan Lane, Jacques Colananni (manager), Andrew van der Knaap (captain) and Andrew Pitout