The Right Bias: Late charge sees Wanderers claim the crown
Players from far and wide, together with the locals, gave the tournament a resounding thumbs up, both for the good food and the convivial atmosphere displayed both on and off the greens
THE weather gods smiled on the 96 bowlers who participated in the 36th Empangeni Country Club’s annual fund-raising tournament held last weekend, whose main sponsor was local building supply firm, Buildit.
Players from far and wide, together with the locals, gave the tournament a resounding thumbs up, both for the good food and the convivial atmosphere displayed both on and off the greens.
After the first three games played on Saturday, it was the Hooligans team of Janet Hardcastle, Mike Butler, Dan and Shirley Germishuys who led the pack on 40+30, but just off the pace was Peet van Rooyen, Louw Vermuelen, Susan van Rooyen and Charmaine Vermuelen with a score of 38.5+35.
PHOTOS: Richard Springorum
After the penultimate round played on Sunday morning, both Hardcastle and Vermuelen had maintained their positions at the top of the leader board, but they must have been glancing somewhat nervously over their shoulder at the perennial Durban Wanderers team of Steve van Rooyen, Terrance McGlynn, Anthony Carr and Richard Hendicott, who had made a move and were now in 4th place only six points behind the leaders.
The 5th and final round spelt disaster for the leaders when they only managed to garner 5 and 6 points respectively, while it was deja vu when Van Rooyen made a late charge to score 13 points to finish on 62+31 – enough for him to finish as cock of the walk for the sixth time in nine years.
A gallant Janet Hardcastle finished as runner-up on 60+29 and the minor placing went to Vermuelen on 58.5+36.
It is worth mentioning that Hans van Koert, Pierre Cito, Francie van Koert and Govanni Cito scored a full-house eight in their game against the Lahee Park team of Andre Swanepoel, Arthur Spershot, Shaun Manning and Ann Cloete.
Pierre Cito repeated the feat which he first achieved in the same tournament in 2015.
At prize giving, Country Club president Jeff Hunter expressed thanks to his organising committee, all the players and sponsors.
He also said that a sum of R1 000 which had been raised at the traditional spider was to be donated to local charity DICE.
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