Springbok Legends Beat Bafana Bafana Greats to Win Inaugural TWH Legends Cup

• John Smit's Springbok legends and Bafana Bafana finished level on points after two days of Ryder Cup-style golf at Pearl Valley
• The Proteas, captained by Pat Symcox, finished third in the three-team legends competition at the Jack Nicklaus-designed Cape Winelands course
• Smit came closest to winning a R1.8-million watch after his tee shot at the par-three 13th landed just feet from the flag

John Smit's Springbok legends claimed the inaugural TWH Legends Cup: Clash of the Codes at Pearl Valley after finishing level with Bafana Bafana and earning the trophy on a count-out.

The two-day Ryder Cup-format competition at the Jack Nicklaus-designed course in the Cape winelands ended with the Springboks and Bafana Bafana both on 11½ points. The rugby legends were awarded the trophy on count out, while Pat Symcox's Proteas finished in third place on 10 points.

**Smit's Squad Packs World Cup Pedigree**

Smit assembled a side rich in international experience, with Fourie du Preez, Steven Kitshoff, Pat Lambie, Schalk Brits, Ryan Kankowski, Werner Greeff and Marius Joubert all competing across the two days. The Bafana Bafana squad was captained by Stanton Fredericks and included names such as Neil Tovey, Shaun Bartlett, Brian Baloyi and Bongani Khumalo, while the Proteas fielded a heavyweight lineup featuring Jacques Kallis, Mark Boucher, Barry Richards, Morne Morkel and Vernon Philander.

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The closest any player came to a moment of individual glory was Smit himself. His tee shot at the par-three 13th settled within a few feet of the pin, leaving him agonisingly short of the ace that would have won a watch valued at R1.8 million, sponsored by Peter Machlup Jewellers.

**Activations and Camaraderie Round Out the Event**

Beyond the competition itself, more than a dozen amateur activations ran alongside the legends' contest. These included nearest-the-pin competitions on three of the par-threes and a long-drive challenge on the ninth hole. A Beat the Pro hole, hosted by the Marquee Group and featuring Sunshine Tour professionals Jordan Burnard and Cole Stevens, stood out as the highlight of the par-three activations. Symcox kept spirits lively, winding up players ahead of the long-drive challenge in characteristically playful fashion.

Habari Media CEO Kevin Ferguson said he was pleased with how the event came together. "A huge shout-out to the Compleat Golfer team and headline sponsor TWH, who have had a strong association with other Habari properties like SA Rugby magazine," he said. "Pearl Valley was the perfect choice of course for our inaugural event."

TWH Bridging Finance served as headline sponsor, with several other major backers supporting the event. Players including Brits, Lambie, Kankowski and Smit all acknowledged organiser Paul Stubbs and expressed interest in returning for next year's edition.

Source: Briefly News