Dutch win Test after a playoff

After both teams tied on 12 points, on conclusion of 4 foursome and 8 singles matches, it took a sudden death playoff to determine the result of the golf test match between the Netherlands and South Africa which was played at the Hilversum Golf Club, just north of Utrecht, in the Netherlands yesterday.  

South Africans Leon Knoll and Bertine Strauss were chosen, from the team of 4 boys and 4 girls, to play Martijn Vermei and Celine Kortekaas, of the Netherlands, in a sudden death play off which lasted just two holes.  They shared the first hole (being hole 1 of the course played) however lost the second (being hole 18) and the test match. 

The morning foursomes was dominated by the South Africans, of the four pairings, three won while Derik Ferreira and Leon Knoll finished all square against the Netherlands pairing of Martijn Vermei and Rowin Caron.  With two points for a win and one point each for a match ending all square, South African put together a total of 7 points to their hosts 1, a comfortable position to be in going into the afternoon singles. 

The singles proved a complete turn around of the morning results.  Here the Netherlands dominated winning five of their singles matches and were all square in one to collect 11 points.  South Africa only managed two wins and a draw, for 5 points.  The wins were recorded by Bertine Strauss, 3 and 2, against Marincka Gerbranda and Leon Knoll, by the same margin, against Michael Kraaij.  Prinavin Nelson managed to salvage one more point for the team when he finished all square against Junior Smulders. 

This meant, that after the conclusion of the afternoon matches, the teams finished tied on 12 points each.  A sudden death playoff followed to determine the winner. 

The full results are as follows: 

Foursomes:

Attie Schwartzel and Prinavin Nelson (RSA) beat Junior Smulders and Michael Kraaij (Neth) 3 and 1; Derik Ferreira and Leon Knoll (RSA) finished all square against Martijn Vermei and Rowin Caron (Neth); Monique Smit and Bertine Strauss (RSA) beat Celine Kortekaas and Marincka Gerbranda (Neth) 1 up; Lizelle Muller and Eugenie Clack (RSA) beat Lianne Middeldorp and Yenthl Koot (Neth) 7 and 6. 

Singles:

Martijn Vermei (Neth) beat Attie Schwartzel (RSA) 4 and 3; Prinavin Nelson (RSA) finished all square to Junior Smulders (Neth); Rowin Caron (Neth) beat Derik Ferreira (RSA) 1 up; Leon Knoll (RSA) beat Michael Kraaij (Neth) 3 and 2; Celine Kortekaas (Neth) beat Monique Smit (RSA) 4 and 3; Bertine Strauss (RSA) beat Marincka Gerbranda (Neth) 3 and 2; Lianne Middeldorp (Neth) beat Lizelle Muller (RSA) 1 up; Yenthl Koot (Neth) beat Eugenie Clack (RSA) 2 up. 

Sudden death play off to decide the outcome:

Martijn Vermei and Celine Kortekaas (Neth) beat Leon Knoll and Bertine Strauss (RSA) on second playoff hole. 

For further information please contact:

Neale Kunhardt (President of SAGA):           Cell: 082 374 3456