Team SA (Silent Assassins) takes on the young New Zealand side on the first day of the Astor Trophy being played at Fairhaven Golf Club in Lancashire this week. The team is, back row, Tiffany Avern-Taplin, Henriëtte Frylinck and Bertine Strauss and seated, Kim Williams, Sandra Winter and Iliska Verwey.

After the second official practice round, the Opening Ceremony for the Astor Trophy takes place today at Fairhaven Golf Club, Lytham St Annes in Lancashire at 17h45.

The tournament gets under way tomorrow, Wednesday 15 June and the South African team of Iliska Verwey, Bertine Strauss, Kim Williams, Henriëtte Frylinck, Tiffany Avern Taplin and non-playing captain Sandra Winter will compete against teams from Great Britain and Ireland, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

The South African team of Lara Weinstein and Biance Theron return to South African today having been runners-up in the team event at the Jakarta World Junior Championships played in Indonesia this week.

South Africa's top-ranked players did well to reach the quarter-ginals of the Ladies British Open Championship played at Royal Portrush this week, but it was the teenagers who stole the show. Kim Williams lost to 17-year-old Amy Boulden from Wales 5/3 and Iliska went all the way to lose 1 down at the 19th to 18-year-old Parisienne Alexandra Bonnetti. The second semi-final is betweem title-holder Kelly Tidy and 16-year old Lauren Taylor.

The South Africans today head off to Lytham St Annes where the Astor Trophy is being contested from Wednesday 15 June at Fairhaven Golf Club. The other teams in the event are Great Britain and N Ireland, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

News of the semi-final and final which was won by thne 16-year-old Lauren Taylor

South Africa's top-ranked duo, Kim Williams and Iliska Verwey won their matches this morning in round four of the Ladies British Open Amateur being played at Royal Portrush on the Northern Ireland Coast. They play their quarter-final matches this afternoon.

Top-ranked South African Kim Williams had to play only 28 holes to get past her first and second-round ties at the Ladies British Open Amateur being played at Portrush this week. Team mate Iliska Verwey is also through to round three.

Lara Weinstein, with rounds of 77 and 75 (152) is in third position as she heads to the final round of the Jakarta World Junior Championship being played in Indonesia this week.

Iliska Verwey continued her good form in the second qualifying round of the Ladies British Open Amateur being contested at Royal Portrush links on the Northern Ireland coastline this week. She carded a one-under 73 to finish on level par on 148.

And after an indifferent 80 in round one, Kim Williams came back with a level par 74 qualify on +6 and Bertine Strauss also improved returning 77 to qualify on +7 (155).

First match play round results

Fast greens and exceptionally hot and humid weather made conditions difficult for the four South African juniors competing in the Jakarta World Junior Championships being played in Indonesia this week.

At the half-way stage of this 72 hole stroke play event for the boys, Victor in Class A (15 – 17 years) is lying tied 10^th on 152 (77, 76) while Tristen is 11^th in Class B (13-14 years) on 157 (78, 79). In the first round of the girls' 54 hole championship, Lara Weinstein carded 77 for her 6th place and Bianca Theron, playing in her first tournament abroad, carded a disappointing 81.

Iliska Verwey made a solid start at the British Open Amateur Champships being played ar Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland this week when she carded a one-over 75 to finish tied 28th.

15-Year old Maritzburg junior Michaela Fletcher continued her recent good form when she won the Rule Trophy at the Gauteng Nomads Junior Championships. The event was played at Roodepoort Country Club. Michaela is one of three junior girls selected to travel to Germany and England in August, representing South Africa.

She is pictured above (left) left with Kirsten Campbell and Magda Kruger

A South African junior team left OR Tambo yesterday to compete in the Jakarta World Junior Championships. The team, pictured above, is Tristen Strydom, Victor Lange, Lara Weinstein and Bianca Theron. They are accompanied by Erica Lefson.

The Protea team is on the way to compete against Great Britain and Ireland, Canada, Australia and New Zealand for the Lady Astor Trophy at Fairhaven Golf Club, Lytham St Annes, this month. The players are from left to right Iliska Verwey, Bertine Strauss, Kim Williams, Henriëtte Frylinck and Tiffany Avern Taplin.

Gauteng North A (Daisies) picked up the Swiss Team Trophy for the second consecutive year when they won the WGSA 72 Hole Teams Championship played at Langebaan Golf Estate in the Boland this week.

Henriëtte Frylinck anchored the team with her scores counting in all four rounds 77, 68, 71, 72 to finish on level par 288 and was a worthy winner of the individual Governors' Trophy.

Leaderboard - click on player to download individual score card

Full Results

Gauteng North A’s Henriëtte Frylinck leads the WGSA 72 Hole Teams Championship Individual competition by four strokes from North West’s Bertine Strauss as the players head into the final round to be played at Langebaan Golf Estate. Round four is to be played tomorrow, Wednesday 25 May – the first players teeing off at 8am.

Bertine Strauss and Izel Pieters defied the Cape of Storms today in the first round of the WGSA 72 Hole Teams Championship when they both carded four-over 76 to top the individual leader-board. The event was played in gale force conditions and heavy rain squalls at Langebaan Golf Estate on the banks of the Langebaan lagoon in the Boland. But Gauteng North A leads the team competition.

Pictured above are the 2010 winners Connie Chen, Kim Williams and Henriëtte Frylinck.

However, losing Connie Chen to the professional ranks has not lessened the chances of the Gauteng A team (the DAISIES) successfully defending their WGSA 72 hole teams championship title which they won at Graceland, Mpumalanga in 2010.

Swaziland’s Nobuhle Dlamini has replaced Chen in the Gauteng North team, and with trio currently all playing off +1 handicaps, the girls look good to retain the Swiss Team Trophy

South African Ashleigh Simon claimed the ISPS Handa Portugal Ladies Open by three shots after carding a brilliant five under par 67 in windy conditions at CampoReal Resort and Spa near Lisbon on Sunday.

Photo

Oubaai’s Monique Smit picked up her first tournament victory of 2011 when she defeated Rustenburg’s Bertine Strauss 4/3 in the final of the Gauteng Match Play Championship played at Randpark Golf Club this week.

SA Stroke Play champion Kim Williams consolidated her place as SA’s number one amateur woman golfer when she won the 36-hole Gauteng Stroke Play championship at Rand Park’s Windsor Course yesterday, 9 May 2011 on two-under 142 (74,68).