Golfers swing into WLIPSA SA final

Amanzimtoti golfers Vic de Klerk and Jos Matthysen won the Windhoek Lager International Pairs (WLIPSA) regional final at Zimbali on Sunday, 15 April.

They have now won the right to compete in the SA finals in Windhoek from 21 to 24 June, with all their expenses paid. “If we win there, we will represent SA in Portugal for the world finals in October or November,” said Vic, who plays out of Umdoni Golf Club.

Vic (62) and his nephew Brandt de Klerk of Pretoria finished third out of 49 countries when they competed at the Audi Quattro Cup World Final in December. They won the right to contest the final at the Ocean Course at Cabo del Sol in Mexico from 1 to 5 December after they scooped the national Audi Quattro Cup qualification tournament.

He and Jos scored 42 points to win the WLIPSA regional final by one point. “We played off a reduced handicap – myself on eight and Jos on four. I rate our chances in Namibia as quite high as we are very well prepared. “Jos and I won our club competition three months ago to go to the regional final. He is my regular playing partner and we gel together well.”

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WLIPSA is one of the biggest golf tournaments for amateur club golfers in the world, with hundreds of thousands of golfers playing in qualifying events around the world. The Toti duo will tee off against 23 other pairs at the Windhoek Country Club and Omeya Golf Club in Namibia and Vic is holding thumbs that they win the right to wing their way to Spain.

“Having played at the Audi Quattro Cup World Final in Mexico last year, it would be fantastic to play in Portugal this year,” he said. “After spending so much money on golf over the years, it is time golf starts paying me back.”