Douries makes dream start at Zwartkop

Lali Stander
 
TSWHANE, 6 January 2016 – Ignation Douries made a dream debut for Western Province in the South African Disabled Golf Association’s Hollard Provincial Challenge, hosted by ReichmansCapital, at Zwartkop Country Club on Saturday.
The 17-year-old disabled golfer from Citrusdal was down in both his matches, but punched well above his weight to overturn the deficit against Conrad Stoltz from Gauteng and Christo de Jager from ROC (Rest of Country).
Douries defeated Stoltz 4 & 2 and halved against De Jager to add 1.5 points to Western Province’s total of five points. The side finished 1.5 points ahead of Gauteng and 1.5 points behind defending champions ROC.
“I don’t usually single out a player, but Ignation really impressed me” said Western Province skipper Pieter Verwey.
“The rest of the Province guys have all played in multiple Provincial Challenges. They are experienced and a pretty tight unit. Charl Theron was supposed to play this week, but he withdrew last week and Ignation received the call as the next player on the SADGA National Rankings.
“We expected Ignation to feel some pressure and I wasn’t surprised that he had a shaky start. But, when the team reached the halfway mark, we were down in five of our matches. I told all the boys to step it up and Ignation rallied like a champion.”
Douries took up golf six years ago when he joined the SAGDA First Swing Programme and got his first taste of the Provincial Challenge as the reserve for the Western Province team last year.
“I was so excited when I got selected. I enjoyed watching last year and I knew the course well after the Nedbank South African Disabled Golf Open,” Douries said.
“I was really nervous when we started this morning and I didn’t play my game. When we turned, I was 2-down to Oom Stolla and 4-down to Oom Christo. I told myself that I had to focus and I decided to start the back nine from scratch.”
Douries won at 13, 14 and 16 to beat Stoltz 4 & 2 and halved with De Jager after he won 17 and 18 in pars.
“I am really proud that I stuck to my resolve to forget about the front nine,” the youngster said.
“I didn’t worry about any mistakes or bogeys. I just kept my focus on the next shot and the next hole and it worked really well for me.”
Meanwhile deaf competitor Ryan Lotz collected two points Gauteng and ROC, while leg amputee Morne Cronje downed ROC’s Danie Jordaan 2 & 1 and halved against two-time World One-Arm champion Reinard Schuhknecht to add 1.5 points for Province.
De Jager from Eastern Cape collected 1.5 points for ROC after beating Stolz 5 & 4, while KwaZulu-Natal pair Rupert Fortman and former Nedbank South African Disabled Golf Open champion Nico Wentzel scored clean sweeps to add four points.
Jordaan from Border beat Schuhknecht 2-up to push the defending champions to the top of the log on six points.
Gauteng gained a point from double leg-amputee James Hourigan, who defeated Trevor Reich from Western Province 3 & 1, and Virgil Foster took their tally to 3.5 when he downed Riaan Spreeth from Province at the last holes.
 
Ends
 
PHOTO 1 – Ignation Douries from Western Province; credit Carl Fourie
PHOTO 2 – Western Province Team; credit SADGA
 
For more information, contact:
Lily Reich
South African Disabled Golf Association
Cell: 082 888 9888
Email: lily@sagda.co.za
 
Written and released by Lali Stander on behalf of the South African Disabled Golf Association.
Lali Stander
The Write Word Sports Media Consultants
TEL: +27 82 990 7150 / EMAIL: mediapr@saga.co.za or lalistander@gmail.com