GOLFING IN THE NORTH WEST PROVINCE

Woman's World Cup of Golf 2006

The first true Women’s World Cup of Golf teed off at the Links course at the Fancourt Hotel and Country Club Estate on February 11-13 2005, thanks to Tania Fourie. After the success of this inaugural event, the stakes were high for the Women's World Cup of Golf in 2006 - when a selection of the world's best descended on the Gary Player Country Club, in the North West Province of South Africa in January for the prestigious Women's World Cup of Golf 2006. The North West Province now look forward to welcoming the world's best back in January 2007. More...

Annika Sorenstam and her teammate Liselotte Neumann led Sweden to a three-stroke victory in the Women's World Cup of Golf 2006

The notion that women are not good "drivers" has finally been put to rest in a very decisive way as golf club-wielding femmes from across the globe descended on the Gary Player Country Club, in the North West Province of South Africa, this January for this year's prestigious Women's World Cup of Golf.

Women's golf has enjoyed significant and rapid growth over the past four years as more and more women occupy high-powered corporate positions and take to the fairways for relaxation. Long the domain of men, where many a deal is struck between tee-off and the final putt, women are fast catching onto the networking potential of a game of golf.

After the success of the inaugural event in 2005, the stakes were high for the Women's World Cup of Golf in 2006 which attracted a selection of the world's best. Twenty nations, comprising of 40 players, battled it out for the prize fund of US$1.1 million.

The event consisted of a three rounds played over the three days. This 54-hole battle saw a different format played each day: 18 holes of foursomes; 18 holes of betterball; and 18 holes of stroke-play. The teams' scores were determined by combining the scores from each day.

The Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) and the Robe di Kappa Ladies European Tour (LET) issued a seven-point criteria for qualification and confirmed the teams qualified for the World Cup for 2006 as: Australia, Brazil, Canada, Columbia, England, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Japan (defending champions), Korea, New Zealand, Philippines, Scotland, South Africa (host nation), Spain, Sweden, Taiwan, USA and Wales.

Kenya received a special invitation to act as the official observation and standby markers should a player become injured causing that country to withdraw.

Among the competitors was World Ranked No 1 Annika Sorenstam from Sweden. Sorenstam and her teammate, Liselotte Neumann led Sweden to a three-stroke victory this year - winning with a score of 7 under par – with Scotland and Wales taking second and third places respectively. Defending champions, Japan, finished 12th (on 8 over par).

Congratulations to South Africa who improved on their 12th place finish in 2005 with a finish of tied 7th in 2006, alongside Finland. Laurette Maritz completed a solid week with a final round of level par 72 while Ashleigh Simon posted a 74. Individually Maritz took an impressive 5th place on the leaderboard, while Ashleigh tied in 16th place.

I'm very proud of Ashleigh. She held her own and backed me up when I wasn't quite there, and that's what playing team golf is all about” said Maritz.

The event has also been supportive of our rising golf stars, and hosted the Acer Girls Golf Programme at a clinic during the World Cup. Here the girls were hosted by South Africa's golfing great Sally Little together with the South African Team and Natalie Guilbus from the USA. During the program these little girls were invited inside the ropes to walk along with the caddies of the golfing stars and, of course, spend the day alongside a world class professional.

Chief Executive Tania Fourie and Operations Director Lesley Copeman, together with the support of corporate South Africa look forward to welcoming the world's best back in 2007.

If anything, the Women's World Cup of Golf has shown everyone once and for all that lady golfers really do have something to show for their driving.

Information and photos courtesy of www.womensworldcupofgolf.com

Taken from: Heritage Volume 3 No 2 INDABA ISSUE