SA amateur golf team selected for France

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Western Province’s Sheard will line up alongside Josef Fourie from Free State, Central Gauteng’s David Muller and Graeme Watson from Ekurhuleni – ranked second, fourth and fifth respectively – in the top international team competition at the Medoc Hotel and Spa Golf Club in the Gironde region from July 18 to 20.

While Sheard, Fourie and Muller were quietly confident of making the team before the Volvo SA Mid-Amateur Stroke Play Championship earlier this month, it was touch and go for Watson.

Watson had been near the top of the SA Mid-Amateur rankings for more than two years, but impending knee replacement surgery forced the Ekurhuleni golfer to cut down on his schedule.

Having dropped significantly in the rankings, the 47-year-old former professional was under huge pressure going into the mid-amateur circuit’s flagship event at Ruimsig Country Club.

“On the one hand surgery and on the other, the chance to compete in France against teams from around the globe,” said Watson.

“It was a no-brainer for me. I had to make the team, because it’s a once off opportunity. I can always go under the knife another time. I knew going into the championship that it would be tough, because I needed at least a top three finish.”

Watson secured his spot on the team with a four stroke victory over Steve Williams.

“I guess making the team was all the inspiration I needed,” he said.

“We don’t get a lot of international opportunities at mid-amateur level, but everyone needs an incentive to play for.

“We were very disappointed last year when our annual Test against Namibia was cancelled, so the opportunity to go and compete in this championship in France was a huge carrot for me.

“I had a string of bogeys to start the final round, but I thought about the team and the trip and it was all I needed to pull it back and win the Stroke Play.”

South African Golf Association assistant executive director, Neil Homann, will manage the team.