Bishops successfully defend title as WP Schools Golf champions.

4th September – A picture perfect day at KD Mowbray Golf Club brought together the competing teams in the 2023 Western Province Schools Golf League Finals.

The WP Schools Golf League consists of a NORTH and a SOUTH League – both leagues are further subdivided into A, B and C divisions. The WP Schools Golf League season extends from April through to August with the winners of the various leagues meeting, at the culmination of the league season, to contest the schools golf league finals.

The season consists of around 150 fixtures played on a Monday afternoon at various golf courses around the Cape Peninsula.

This year’s A League final is a repeat of last year, between Bishops and Durbanville High School. It was postponed to the 12th of September (see report further down).

For 3rd place, Milnerton High School shaded the 2021 champions, The Golf School of Excellence (TGSE), in a closely contested match, winning 4-2. Wins by Luca Wolvaardt (2up), Adam Johnston (2&1), Tristan Boise (4&3) and Taylor Haigh (4&2) saw Milnerton home. Philco Venter (3&2) and Ashley Jenniker (7&6) scored the points for TGSE.

The B league final saw the South African Golf Development Board (South) and last year’s beaten finalist, Strand High School, tie 3 all after regulation play. Emphatic wins were recorded by the SAGDB number 3 and 4 pairing, Luke Jacobs and Codi Ruiters, who won 8&7 and 5&4 respectively. SAGDB’s in-form Jaydon Galant, at number 1, won his match 3&2. As per the league rules a games count-out ensued with the SAGDB being declared the winner.

The B league 3rd place was decided between Combined Girls and Curro Durbanviile. Wins by Isabella Heber, Jaden Visagie, and Zoey Rhoda as well as an important half by Gabriella Dolan saw the Combined Girls sneak in 3.5-2.5. Liam Marais and Ewald Adinall secured the points for the opposition.

The gold medal match in the C league saw Reddam House Atlantic Seaboard against Durbanville “C”. This league is decided on the stableford points format with 4 of the 6 individual scores counting towards the team total. In the end a tight 2 point difference was sufficient for Reddam House to win – Reddam House Atlantic Seaboard 113 Durbanville ‘C’ 111. For 3rd place Reddam House Durbanville comfortably won by a margin of 49 points – Reddam House 125 against Wynberg ‘C’ 76.

The leading player on the day in the C league was Reddam House Durbanville’s Josh Daniels, who recorded an excellent gross 68 off his plus 3 handicap – an impressive 37 individual stableford points.

12th September – Another glorious day at KD Mowbray Golf Club saw last year’s winner, Bishops, take on Durbanville High for the A league title. Convincing wins by Bishops number 1 Sebastian Dorward (4&3) and by the number 5 and 6 pairing, Michael Cadiz and Jack Buckham, both winning 5&3, saw Bishops build up a strong 3-0 lead. Bishops were firing on all cylinders with both Durbanville numbers 3 and 4, Heinrich Haasbroek and Quwen Botha, 3 down after 11 holes. A determined fight back saw Heinrich win 1 up and Quwen half his game.

Henru Walters defeated Adam Buckham with a birdie on the final hole to win 1 up. In the end a fine 3.5-2.5 win by Bishops – successfully defending the title they won in 2022.

Members of the winning Bishops team were Sebastian Dorward (W 4&3), Adam Buckham (L 1dn), Michael Newton (L 1dn), Thomas Jacobs (Halved), Michael Cadiz (W 5&3), and Jack Buckham (W 5&3).

All in all, a fine exhibition of schools’ golf played in a wonderful spirit.

Final recap:

A League – 1. Bishops 2. Durbanville 3. Milnerton
B League – 1. SAGDB(South) 2. Strand 3. Combined Girls
C League – 1. Reddam House Atlantic 2. Durbanville ‘C’ 3. Reddam House Durbanville

The winners of the A league for the past 10 years have been:

• 2014 Reddam Tokai
• 2015 Fairmont
• 2016 Curro Durbanville
• 2017 Curro Durbanville
• 2018 Bishops
• 2019 Rondebosch
• 2020 Not played.
• 2021 TGSE
• 2022 Bishops
• 2023 Bishops

Results (24)Regional Schools Finals 2023

Report by Peter Little