SA favourites against France
2008-05-27 09:41
Johannesburg - If the world amateur golf rankings (WAGR) are anything to go by, the team of Derik Ferreira (ranked 19), Jacques Blaauw (27), Adrian Ford (29) and Ryan Clarke (313) will start as the favourites to win the fourth annual amateur golf Test against France which starts on Wednesday.
The two-day match, being played at the Chantilly Golf Club, north of Paris, will see the two teams play foursomes and better ball on day one and singles on the final day.
"We beat the French last year in Port Elizabeth, although then there were eight players to a team," said team manager and senior vice-president of the South African Golf Association (SAGA), Enver Hassen.
"We have a solid team this year and will be going all out to beat the home side. The French have won two of our last three encounters, so we are hoping to even the score," an upbeat Hassen commented.
The French Team is made up of David Antonelli (WAGR ranked 610), Victor Dubuisson (94), Rudy Thuillier (717) and Romain Wattel (829).
The WAGR can be misleading, Antonelli finished runner-up in the prestigious Brabazon Trophy (English Amateur Open strokeplay) two weeks ago. Dubuisson is one of France's most promising young amateurs and led the South African amateur strokeplay championship, played in February this year at Pearl Valley, going into the final round but stumbled in the last round, in difficult weather conditions, finishing third.
The match precedes the French Amateur Open strokeplay which commences on May 30 at the same venue. The four SA players will be participating in that as well.
- SAPA