Schoolgirls triumph over ‘big boys’ at golf tourney

SIXTEEN-year-old Andria Brand and Jessica Dreesbeimdieke, who is only 13, with the assistance of their Namibian co-player, Lazarus Goabab, won the Shoprite Namibian Junior Golf Foundation golf tournament at Swakopmund’s Rossmund Golf Club last Thursday.

They triumphed over the older competitors during an 18-hole ‘better-ball’ competition, ensuring a feather in the cap for youth golf development at the coast. A ‘better-ball’ game is where all players in a team club their balls from the best-placed ball of a teammate.’Well, they did have an old national player on their side,’ an old golfer told The Namibian during the prize-giving event – with his tongue in his cheek. ‘But congratulations to them anyway.’The prize-giving was attended by Ashwell Prince, left-handed batsman for the Proteas, South Africa’s national cricket team, as well as Abri Visser, who was a Springbok boxer and represented South Africa at the Olympic Games. Visser also has Springbok colours for pistol and rifle shooting. And he has provincial colours in 10 sport codes in SA.Prince encouraged the youth to continue in their game with diligence, and also thanked the sponsors for their involvement.’Sponsorships are very important when one wants to develop competitively in any sports. I know, I was there too when I was a young cricketer and wanted to play for my country one day. It was hard work, and the assistance of sponsors that got me to where I am today, and I encourage companies to follow Shoprite’s example and help contribute in the development of young sports players in Namibia,’ he said.Brand, who is in ProEd Academy in Swakopmund, and Dreesbeimdieke of the Private School Swakopmund started playing golf about three years ago under the guidance of the junior golf foundation. They said they enjoyed the game and it felt great winning the tournament. Both intend to continue making strides in golf.