CAPE TOWN (19 May 2015) – The South African Golf Association’s Junior Team and the South African Universities side (USSA) recovered from first round losses with superb performances in the second round of the Challenge Cup Teams Tournament, while Western Province strengthened their title bid in a tightly fought contest at Milnerton Golf Club on Tuesday.

After a narrow one point loss to the host union in the first round, the SAGA Juniors rallied halve one game and win two more in the Foursomes against the Presidents Team.

Estiaan Conradie, Wilco Nienaber, Luke Mayo, Matt Saulez, Herman Loubser and Cameron Moralee produced the Singles victories to secure an 8.5 – 3.5 victory for the SAGA Juniors, while Fritz Orren and Sentanio Minnie scored winning runs for the Presidents Team.

For a second successive day, the Western Province side was pushed against the wall but survived.

The host union won three of the Foursomes games to Gauteng North lead 3 – 1, but their advantage was wiped out by Robert Gouws, skipper Jacques van Tonder, Ruan Korb and Ruan Conradie, who won the first four Singles to put Gauteng North in the lead.

Luca Filippi stemmed the bleeding for the host union when he defeated Adriel Poonan 6 & 5, and Adam Botha and Carlo O’Reilly both won their games to give Province a one point edge.

It was down to the final game, which went all the way to the final hole, but Sean Bradley held up under pressure from reigning Nomads SA Boys U-19 Match Play champion Rosswell Sinclair to halve for a 6.5 – 5.5 victory.

The last match of the day was interrupted intermittently by a heavy mist that shrouded the seaside links, but the USSA team took the interruptions in their stride to hand defending champions Central Gauteng an 8.5 – 3.5 drubbing.

After suffering a 4 – 8 loss to Gauteng North in their opening gambit, the team took control in the Foursomes with two wins, a loss and a halve to lead 2.5 – 1.5.

Stephen Morrison, Marco Loubser, Reinhardt Blaauw, Andrew van der Knaap, Jason Smith and Teaghan Gauche notched victories in the Singles to put the team back on track.

SECOND ROUND LOG
(Pos-Union-Played-Won-Drawn-Lost-Points-Matches won)
1 Western Province (2, 2, 0, 0, 4, 13)
2 SAGA Juniors (2, 1, 0, 1, 2, 14)
3 Gauteng North (2, 1, 0, 1, 2, 13.5)
4 USSA (2, 1, 0, 1, 2, 12.5)
5 Central Gauteng (2, 1, 0, 1, 2, 11.5)
6 Presidents Team (2, 0, 0, 2, 0, 7.5)

PHOTO – Gauteng North’s Ruan Korb; credit Catherine Kotze.