MBABANE, Swaziland, 14 April 2016 – South Africa’s National Team won the A-Division seeding in the stroke play qualifier at the 22nd Africa Zone VI Golf Tournament, while the Presidents Team took honours in the B-Division at Royal Swazi Spa Country Club on Wednesday.

Top ranked Marco Steyn fired a three-under-par 69 to set the pace for the National Team.

Fellow Central Gauteng player Dylan Naidoo contributed a 70 and Tristen Strydom from Ekurhuleni added a 71 to take the team’s total to six-under-par 210. James du Preez from Gauteng North posted a non-counting one over 73.

Swaziland’s Sifiso Vilane matched Steyn for the low round of the day and helped the host nation’s first team to second on six over 222.

South Africa’s National Team and Swaziland’s first team qualified alongside Zambia, defending champions Uganda, Mauritius, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia.

The National Team will face off against Namibia in the first round of the match play knock-out matches on Thursday.

Strydom will partner Du Preez in the foursomes and Steyn and Naidoo will compete in the singles.

Meanwhile reigning Africa Junior Open champion Sentanio Minnie from Ekurhuleni carded a two under 70 to boost the Presidents Team’s tally.

Southern Cape’s Franklin Manchest and Aneurin Gounden from KwaZulu-Natal produced a pair of 72s to hand the side a two under 214 total and top spot in the B-Division. Steven le Roux from Free State carded a non-counting 75.

Swaziland also took second in the B-Division on 223, while Kenya finished third on 239.

Malawi’s second and first teams finished fourth and fifth respectively, with Mozambique’s first team in sixth place. Botswana’s second team took seventh place, Lesotho eighth, while Mozambique’s second team finished ninth and Angola in 10th.

The Presidents Team will go head-to-head with Lesotho in the second stage.

Manchest and Minnie will combine in the foursomes, while Gounden and Le Roux will shoulder the singles.

STROKE PLAY RESULTS
210 South Africa National Team
214 South Africa Presidents Team
222 Swaziland 1
223 Swaziland 2
224 Zambia
226 Uganda; Mauritius; Zimbabwe
237 Botswana 1
238 Namibia
239 Kenya
243 Malawi 1
248 Malawi 2
249; Mozambique 1; Botswana 2
254 Lesotho
271 Mozambique 2
275 Angola

PHOTO – James du Preez; credit Catherine Kotze / SASPA