Final showdown for Southern KZN
Southern KZN earned the honour of playing in the final by beating Zimbali 5-3 in a semi-final match at San Lameer CC last Sunday.
One last hurdle stands in the way of the Southern KwaZulu-Natal golf team gain promotion back into the Premier League.
That hurdle is an A section final against Amanzimtoti Golf Club at neutral venue Kloof CC this Sunday.
The league format this season has been singles only, so it’s an 18 hole shoot out.
Southern KZN earned the honour of playing in the final by beating Zimbali 5-3 in a semi-final match at San Lameer CC last Sunday.
It was perhaps closer than the scoreline suggests, with four games going down the 18th.
Kai Hielckert (Port Shepstone CC) clawed his way back from two down after eight holes to win 2-up against veteran Elliott Nkosi.
He had a few ridiculously unlucky breaks but that’s golf and he kept his cool to clinch a crucial point.
David Rush (Southbroom GC) had a tight game against former ATP tennis player Neville Godwin. It was a game that could have gone either way and ended, probably fittingly, in a half.
However, after a birdie on the 17th, Rush three-putted the 18th to lose the match and at that stage he thought he’d cost his team an outright win.
He didn’t feel any better when he saw that Jean-Marc Bouic (Selborne Park) had lost 1-down to J ? and Chris Zietsman (Selborne Park) to Greg Upneck 2/1.
Fortunately the top three of Gavin Sole (Southbroom GC), Jason Gilliver (Umdoni Park) and Jack Cubitt (Umdoni Park) all secured victories, so that by the time number four Jan McDermott (Umdoni Park) came down the 18th his result didn’t matter.
However, it did matter to him as he’d been three down at a stage against Barry Trollip, so was pleased when he secured a half point.
Sole, wearing his red shirt from about three seasons ago and not the new sparkling watermelon-coloured one, beat Steve Phytides 3/2.
Gilliver, still nursing an ankle injury, beat another former ATP player in Kevin Ullyett 4/3 while Cubitt beat Shane Douglas 4/3.
The team will remain the same for the final this Sunday.
In Handicap League results, Port Shepstone beat Selborne Park 6,5-5,5.
Umdoni B beat Umdoni A by the score as was the case with Southbroom over Margate.
Log (after three games): Port Shepstone 6 (22), Selborne 4 (20), Southbroom 3 (17), Margate 2 (18), Umdoni B 2 (15,5), Umdoni A 1 (15,5).
The next fixture is at Southbroom GC on September 19.
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