Hidden gem unearthed in Lizzie

PORT Shepstone golfer Lizzie Currie (19) hasn’t been playing the game seriously for very long, but has already made a big impression.

Last Sunday she was chosen for the KwaZulu-Natal team to play in the South African Interprovincial in Port Elizabeth in late September.

The announcement came after the Durban Region champs at Kloof which were won by Tiffany Avern-Taplin on scores of 68 and 71. Lizzie tied for fourth.

She was thrilled with the selection, as were Sheppie members, and she follows in the rather large footsteps of the Eaton twins, Melissa and Nicola, and obviously their mother Colleen. The latter represented the province for many years and is something of an icon in KZN golf.

Lizzie wasn’t expecting to hear her name called out. “It was pretty cool but I had only hoped to make it next year so it was quite a surprise,” she said.

The team will be captained by Tiffany Avern-Taplin, a former Southbroom member but now playing out of Mount Edgecombe.

Tiffany, who works at the Herald’s sister paper, the Mid South Coast Mail in Scottburgh, has been impressed by Lizzie’s rapid progress and is looking forward to seeing how she shapes at Interprov.

Tiffany felt the team had a nice mix of youth and experience. “Watch this space,” she said.

The other players are Michaela Fletcher, who is fast becoming one of the top amateurs in the country, as well as Kate Brett-Castle, Tania Lyon and Brittany-Fay Berger.

Lizzie is currently playing off an eight handicap, which is three lower than her older brother Donovan, so he no longer boasts the lowest handicap in the family.