Team North lead SADGA Provincial Challenge

 
Team North opened up an early lead at the SADGA Provincial Challenge sponsored by the National Lotteries Comission after eclipsing Team South 7.5-2.5 on day one at Zwartkop Country Club on Saturday..
The donation of R150 000 by the National Lotteries Commission which the SADGA will use for Skills Development went a long way to aiding the successful staging of the annual team event.
This year marks a new chapter in the event’s history as two teams of ten drawn from the Southern and Northern regions of the country square off. Another exciting alteration to the event is the use of captain’s picks. Both non-playing captains were allowed three captain’s picks each – awarded to those golfers who show great promise but who were unable to earn one of the five automatic spots. 
Raymond Graaff drew first blood for Team North. Playing fellow Deaf golfer Kosie Janse Van Rensburg, Graaff seized the game by the scruff of the neck. Beginning on the 10th, Graaff raced to a 4-up lead at the turn. Janse Van Rensburg struggled to repair the damage on the inward nine, ultimately succumbing to Graaff 5&3.
There are three certainties in life: death, taxes and Morne Cronje delivering the goods at the Provincial Challenge. Having never missed a Provincial Challenge, Cronje showed why he is such a valued member of the South team as he cruised to victory over Derick Swart 4&3 to register his side’s first point. 
There was a rookie in each of the first two matches out. Handling the pressure of the moment was thus paramount. For Team South, Kean Dry fell two-down at the turn to David Frost. On the back-nine, Dry exhibited the sort of BMT that would have made captain Pieter Verwey proud. 1-down with two to play, the former rugby player dug deep to win the last two holes and steal a point for the South.
Other than that, it was slim pickings for the South. Trevor Reich managed to salvage a half-point for the South. North’s Gareth Dudgeon snatched victory from the jaws of defeat against Riaan Spreeth. After being 4-down inside eight holes, Dudgeon staged a back-nine rally of note to win a spine-tingler 1-up. 
There were further North victories for Jan Potgieter, Johan Du Plooy and Charlene Pienaar as the North built up a healthy five-point lead. 
The day undoubtedly belonged to the North who will require just three points from a possible ten to win the 2020 SADGA Provincial Challenge. 
Special thanks to: National Lotteries Commission
                             Zwartkop Country Club
                             Golf RSA
                            Western Province Golf
                            Central Gauteng Golf Union
                            Gauteng North Golf Union 
                            Central Gauteng Golf Union
                           Volkswagen South Africa
                           Banks R&L Hiring 
                            

 

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