The 2022 WP Foursomes were held at Milnerton Golf Club, situated next to the Atlantic Ocean and offering spectacular views of Table Mountain.

A total of 39 teams (78 players) competed in one of Western Province Golf’s premier events, including the Premier IPT, Mid-AM IPT, and Women’s IPT teams.

A cold and blistery morning greeted the players, as rain swept across the course, making it a challenging start to their campaign. After the rain faded away, the players were faced with another element mother nature throws at Milnerton, the wind. With its links-style layout, Milnerton was able to stand its ground, while its back nine offered challenges to players of all levels. The tucked-away pin placements on the day prevented many birdies, resulting in only three subpar rounds being recorded, indicating that the conditions on the course were challenging.

The WP Foursomes Trophy was won by Riaan Lewis (KD Mowbray) and Christian Helmbold after they beat Sean Howell (Durbanville) and Matthew Cooper (Clovelly) in a playoff. (Both teams recorded scores of 71 and 75.)

The playoff occurred on the 18th hole, a challenging par four with water running all along the left-hand side and bunkers enticing miscalculated shots.

Cooper was honoured to tee off first after drawing the longer tee. Cooper avoided the water by tucking his tee shot to the right, which resulted in him landing on the first fairway. Following Cooper’s lead, Helmbold decided that it was a wise idea to proceed in the same manner. With a stiff breeze coming from the ocean, both partners were left with 150 – 160 meter shots. As Howell’s ball was below his feet, he attempted to trap it below the wind, but it landed off centre, leaving his partner with a challenging third shot. Lewis had an excellent opportunity to put pressure on their opponents, but was unable to capitalize, failing to hit enough club and leaving the ball just short of the green.

Cooper was left with a 30 meter pitch shot. A sudden rush of blood to the head caused an unforced error, resulting in the ball soaring above the flag and ending up more than ten meters away. Helmbold’s pinpoint chip shot, which ended up three feet away, gave his team a substantial advantage. In an attempt to extend the match, Howell faced a tricky slider, but missed it by a narrow margin. A confident Lewis hammered his putt into the back of the cup, securing a resounding victory.

View full results – click here