Sam Whateley, Kaiyuree Moodley and Central Gauteng captain Marine Legentil ended a six-year drought for the Lions in the 2022 GolfRSA 72-Hole Women’s Teams Championship played from last Monday to Wednesday at Mbombela Golf Club.

The Central Gauteng trio was simply superior as they marched to a 19-stroke victory in the Swiss Team Trophy.

The team combined for rounds of 147, 142, 143 and 141 to triumph on a winning total of 573.

Whateley spearheaded the challenge, firing rounds of 72, 67, 71 and 68 to record the lowest scores in each round, and her effort was excellently backed up by fellow GolfRSA national squad member Moodley, whose rounds of 75, 75, 72 and 73 secured the wire-to-wire achievement for the Lions.

Legentil, the reigning SA Women’s Amateur champion, could not have imagined a more perfect swansong for the team before she and Whateley head to the United States to join Moodley on the US collegiate circuit.

“I am absolutely over the moon,” said the delighted 18-year-old, who will be enrolling at Columbus University.

“Since our last win in Middelburg in 2016, we’ve been knocking and knocking. To finally pull it through for the Lions is an amazing feeling.

“It was a huge goal for us, because Sam and I will be leaving for the USA soon. We really wanted to get this win for the Lions and we felt we had a great chance to win with Kai on the team. She has been at college in the US for two years now and she brought a lot of experience to the team this year.

“You have to play as a unit and trust your teammates in a team competition like this where two scores count in every round. Sam and Kai really dug deep this week to get us to the finish line. I am really proud of our achievement and knowing that we gave our very best for Central Gauteng.

“It was an unforgettable week and on behalf of all the teams, I want to applaud the green staff at Mbombela Golf Club for all their efforts to present us with such a pristine course. To the clubhouse staff also, a big thank you for your hospitality and top-class service.”

Central Gauteng nearly celebrated a one-two finish, but the B team were edged out for second by defending champions Western Province A whose 592-total earned the side the runner-up spot.

The Mpumlanga team of Nicola Schoeman (captain), Chanté Boonstra and Patrizia Lombaard finished seventh with a score of 634.

Whateley’s 278 total earned her the medallist honours in the Individual Competition.

Former SA Women’s Stroke Play champion Megan Streicher was second on 285 after carding rounds of 76, 69, 71 and 69, and Kyra van Kan from Ekurhuleni placed third overall on 292 with rounds of 75, 75, 68 and 74.

Challenge Trophy (B division)

GolfRSA’s number-one ranked Gabbi Venter led Free State to a historic promotion in the 2022 GolfRSA 72-Hole Teams Championship.

Rounds of 152, 162, 146 and 155 saw Venter, fellow national squad member Ellandri van Heerden and debutant Cheré Myburgh lift the Challenge Trophy title with a runaway 31-stroke victory.

Venter said the secret to their success was their unity as a team and their unwavering belief that they could win.

“We really worked hard to prepare for the week,” said the 18-year-old Bloenfontein golfer.

“We approached every round with the intention to leave it all out there on the course. We knew coming into the week that it would be tough. Mbombela is a very challenging course with a lot of hazards, so positioning off the tee was key. Our strategy was simple – keep it in play as much as possible and to give ourselves chances to score.

“We definitely came here with a winning mindset, and we kept motivating each other throughout the tournament,” said Venter, whose rounds of 71, 78, 74 and 72 also earned her a sixth-place finish in the Individual Competition.

Central Gauteng C’s Shannon Berry, Gia Raad and Casey Twidale took second place on 630, while Southern Cape finished third, a further five strokes back.

Alida Schoeman, president of host union, Women’s Golf Mpumalanga, thanked the players and union representatives for making this tournament such a success while still partially in the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Thank you to all the sponsors and Mbombela Golf Club for going the extra mile, with exceptional service provided. CEO Darren Plumb, ladies’ captain Barbra Scott and all staff at the club really went out of their way to make this tournament such a success,” Schoeman said.

Swiss Team Trophy
573 Central Gauteng A 147 Samantha Whateley 72 Kaiyuree Moodley 75; 142 Samantha Whateley 67 Kaiyuree Moodley 75; 143 Samantha Whateley 71 Kaiyuree Moodley 72; 141 Samantha Whateley 68 Kaiyuree Moodley 73
592 Western Province A 151 Vicki Traut 75 Jordan Rothman 76; 147 Vicki Traut 73 Jordan Rothman 74; 150 Bobbi Brown 74 Jordan Rothman 76; 144 Bobbi Brown 71 Jordan Rothman 73
596 Central Gauteng B 148 Kim Turgut 74 Cara Ford 74; 151 Stephanie Barbaglia 74 Kim Turgut 77; 149 Cara Ford 73 Kim Turgut 76; 148 Stephanie Barbaglia 74 Kim Turgut 74
599 Gauteng North A 156 Bronwyn Doeg 77 Zané Kleynhans 79; 152 Holly Lau 75 Bronwyn Doeg 77; 147 Bronwyn Doeg 73 Zané Kleynhans 74; 144 Holly Lau 71 Zané Kleynhans 73
601 Boland A 154 Megan Streicher 76 Ineke Brynard 78; 146 Megan Streicher 69 Rene Liebenberg 77; 148 Megan Streicher 71 Ineke Brynard 77; 153 Megan Streicher 69 Rene Liebenberg 84
608 Ekurhuleni A 155 Kyra van Kan 75 Nicole Strydom 80; 155 Kyra van Kan 75 Nicole Strydom 80; 148 Kyra van Kan 68 Kaylan Boshoff 80; 150 Kyra van Kan 74 Kaylan Boshoff 76
615 Kwa-Zulu Natal A 153 Liezl Smit 76 Marlie Smit 77; 157 Marlie Smit 77 Olivia Wood 80; 151 Liezl Smit 75 Marlie Smit 76; 154 Olivia Wood 75 Liezl Smit 79
634 Mpumalanga 155 Chante Boonstra 76 Nicola Schoeman 79; 171 Nicola Schoeman 82 Chante Boonstra 89; 155 Nicola Schoeman 77 Chante Boonstra 78; 153 Nicola Schoeman 74 Chante Boonstra 79
636 Western Province B 159 Erica Chen 77 Anita Chen 82; 161 Erica Chen 80 Kaitlyn van de Vyver 81; 159 Erica Chen 78 Anita Chen 81; 157 Erica Chen 77 Kaitlyn van de Vyver 80
661 Border 164 Kesha Louw 80 Millie Dondashe 84; 171 Kesha Louw 85 Tanya Louw 86; 165 Kesha Louw 82 Millie Dondashe 83; 161 Kesha Louw 76 Millie Dondashe 85

Challenge Team Trophy
599 Free State 151 Gabrielle Venter 71 Ellandri van Heerden 80; 150 Ellandri van Heerden 72 Gabrielle Venter 78; 155 Gabrielle Venter 74 Ellandri van Heerden 81; 143 Ellandri van Heerden 71 Gabrielle Venter 72
630 Central Gauteng C 164 Shannon Berry 81 Gia Raad 83; 161 Shannon Berry 79 Casey Twidale 82; 158 Gia Raad 77 Casey Twidale 81; 147 Casey Twidale 69 Shannon Berry 78
635 Southern Cape 158 Jasmine Furstenburg 78 Carey Dodds 80; 159 Carey Dodds 79 Jasmine Furstenburg 80; 162 Carey Dodds 80 Jasmine Furstenburg 82; 156 Carey Dodds 77 Jasmine Furstenburg 79
648 Kwa-Zulu Natal B 158 Kayla Saunders 76 Charlotte Millard 82; 156 Charlotte Millard 78 Kayla Saunders 78; 169 Julia Saulez 83 Charlotte Millard 86; 165 Kayla Saunders 82 Charlotte Millard 83
653 Eastern Province 165 Chante van Zyl 80 Heather Kruger 85; 165 Heather Kruger 81 Zahn Scholtz 84; 161 Chante van Zyl 79 Heather Kruger 82; 162 Zahn Scholtz 79 Heather Kruger 83
653 Western Province C 163 Tara Nieuwoudt 81 Ashley Huysamen 82; 159 Tara Nieuwoudt 76 Isabella Williams 83; 167 Tara Nieuwoudt 80 Isabella Williams 87; 164 Tara Nieuwoudt 80 Isabella Williams 84
655 Boland B 166 Kim Boshoff 82 Alessia Goussard 84; 157 Alessia Goussard 78 Kim Boshoff 79; 167 Kim Boshoff 79 Karin Watts 88; 165 Alessia Goussard 82 Kim Boshoff 83
658 North West 160 Megan Marais 80 Kaitlin Fensham 80; 165 Megan Marais 81 Marne van der Merwe 84; 167 Megan Marais 83 Marne van der Merwe 84; 166 Megan Marais 80 Marne van der Merwe 86
668 Gauteng North B 171 Lameez Kourie 83 Lea van der Merwe 88; 165 Heidi van der Berg 79 Lameez Kourie 86; 169 Lea van der Merwe 83 Lameez Kourie 86; 163 Lea van der Merwe 79 Lameez Kourie 84
691 Ekurhuleni B 176 Keira Howroyd 88 Tayla Howroyd 88; 173 Tayla Howroyd 82 Keira Howroyd 91; 167 Tayla Howroyd 83 Keira Howroyd 84; 175 Tayla Howroyd 86 Keira Howroyd 89
705 Limpopo 177 Stephanie Robbertse 86 Luzaan Combrink 91; 185 Janike van der Merwe 91 Luzaan Combrink 94; 172 Stephanie Robbertse 85 Janike van der Merwe 87; 171 Janike van der Merwe 81 Luzaan Combrink 90

INDIVIDUAL LEADERBOARD
278 Samantha Whateley 72 67 71 68
285 Megan Streicher 76 69 71 69
292 Kyra van Kan 75 75 68 74
295 Gabrielle Venter 71 78 74 72; Kaiyuree Moodley 75 75 72 73
296 Bobbi Brown 76 75 74 71
299 Jordan Rothman 76 74 76 73
300 Bronwyn Doeg 77 77 73 73; Cara Ford 74 78 73 75
301 Vicki Traut 75 73 77 76; Kim Turgut 74 77 76 74
303 Zané Kleynhans 79 77 74 73
304 Ellandri van Heerden 80 72 81 71
307 Holly Lau 82 75 79 71; Stephanie Barbaglia 80 74 79 74
309 Marlie Smit 77 77 76 79
312 Nicola Schoeman 79 82 77 74; Olivia Wood 77 80 80 75; Erica Chen 77 80 78 77; Liezl Smit 76 82 75 79
313 Marine Legentil 79 80 78 76
316 Carey Dodds 80 79 80 77
317 Tara Nieuwoudt 81 76 80 80; Kaylan Boshoff 80 81 80 76
318 Nicole Strydom 80 80 80 78
319 Shannon Berry 81 79 81 78; Jasmine Furstenburg 78 80 82 79
321 Gia Raad 83 82 77 79; Rene Liebenberg 79 77 81 84
322 Chante Boonstra 76 89 78 79; Kayla Saunders 76 78 86 82
323 Kim Boshoff 82 79 79 83; Kesha Louw 80 85 82 76
324 Megan Marais 80 81 83 80
325 Cherè Myburgh 84 78 83 80; Ineke Brynard 78 82 77 88
326 Anita Chen 82 83 81 80
328 Kaitlyn van de Vyver 84 81 83 80
329 Charlotte Millard 82 78 86 83; Chante van Zyl 80 87 79 83
331 Zahn Scholtz 86 84 82 79; Heather Kruger 85 81 82 83
333 Alessia Goussard 84 78 89 82
334 Julia Saulez 84 82 83 85; Sylken-Leigh November 83 83 87 81
338 Millie Dondashe 84 86 83 85
339 Tayla Howroyd 88 82 83 86; Lameez Kourie 83 86 86 84
340 Lea van der Merwe 88 90 83 79
341 Isabella Williams 87 83 87 84
343 Karin Watts 88 83 88 84
345 Marne van der Merwe 91 84 84 86; Heidi van der Berg 90 79 88 88
352 Janike van der Merwe 93 91 87 81; Keira Howroyd 88 91 84 89
359 Patrizia Lombard 93 92 86 88
360 Tanya Louw 90 86 89 95
361 Stephanie Robbertse 86 94 85 96
366 Luzaan Combrink 91 94 91 90
WD Kaitlin Fensham 80 92 WD WD; Ashley Huysamen 82 93 WD 85; Casey Twidale WD 82 81 69

Photos: GolfRSA