Patrick is matchplay Umkomaaster
The final match was tight throughout the day, but Patrick took the lead and hung on to beat Viv 2/1.
The men’s matchplay at Umkomaas Golf Club was contested over the past weekend in A, B and C division with Patrick Ndlovu triumphing once again, retaining the club matchplay champion title he won last year.
Patrick beat this year’s strokeplay champion Russell Heine 3/2 on Saturday before meeting Viv Naicker, who beat Jacques Kirstein in sudden-death on the 19th hole, in the final on Sunday. The final match was tight throughout the day, but Patrick took the lead and hung on to beat Viv 2/1.
Barry Taylor secured a comprehensive semi-final victory, beating Kuben Naidoo 4/3 to make the B division finals. Christopher Pillay booked his place by winning the last hole against reigning champion Kavish Seepershad, finishing 1-up. Christopher’s tight match on Saturday clearly got him fired up and he played excellent golf on Sunday to take a landslide 7/6 victory.
The C division final was contested by strokeplay champion Dave Robertson and runner-up Don Bradshaw. Don kicked into high gear and secured his title as C division champion, winning 5/4.
Meanwhile, Christo van den Heever’s nett 68 secured him his first Monthly Mug, as well as top honours in the C division during Saturday’s medal Stableford round.
He scored 36 points, same as nearest rival Mike Flack, but won on the count-out.
The B division was won by Mickey Eriksen on 35 points, and it seems the time he put in chipping and putting on the practice green that morning paid off. Brian Stephen came in second, just one point behind, on 34 points. The A division was won on 36 points by Jacques Hulley. Dean Naicker came second on 35 points and took all the money as the sole 2-club winner on the day. Evija McKelvey won the ladies medal with the best nett, 77.
The South Coast Region teams, Mkuhla and Umdoni, competed in the first Inter-region match at a chilly Victoria Country Club last Sunday. Teeing off in five degree weather made for interesting swings as most golfers were layered up to ward off the cold. SCR Umdoni played the Northerns ladies and emerged victorious overall, heading into the second round championship division. They will take on DR Swallows team at Dundee in September.
The Mkuhla team, captained by Natalie Singer, played the DR Swifts. Natalie and fellow “Umkomaasian” Sabiha Hulley, played as number one pairing and secured a 3/2 victory in the morning betterball match and overcame a dormie 3-down position in the afternoon 9-hole foursomes to secure a half. Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough as the DR Swifts secured two other pairing wins in the afternoon to take a one point advantage and progress. The Mkuhla team will continue in Plate division and will compete against The President’s team in round two at Dundee.
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