Ignatius Mketekete was the winner of the Zambezi Tour NetOne Pro-Am Championship played at Bulawayo Golf Club which ended on Friday.
The professional golfer pocketed $2 210 for winning the competition which started on Thursday. He shot 67 on the first round and 69 on the second round for a total of eight under 136. Mketekete beat Tongoona Charamba by one stroke at seven under 137. Charamba was the favourite to win the competition as he won it last year, but had to settle for second spot. Charamba shot a 67 in round two having had 70 in the first round.
Robson Saurombe shot 70 in round one and 69 in round two to finish on third position. Charamba won $1 436,50 while Saurombe got $1 105.
Zambian golfer Patrick Mwendapole, John McKenzie from South Africa and Trevor Johwa struggled with their game.
Senior golfers Nicholas Nyamamanya and Richard Kasawaya also had a disappointing game finishing on position 28 and 35. Bulawayo Golf Club’s Tshuma came back from a disappointing 75 on the first day to get 70 on the second round finishing tied fourth with Tich Msemburi and Lyford Yadyo.
Debutant Daile Howie was tied at position 13 with a score of 74 and 76 while Akil Yousuf was disqualified for signing for the wrong score. Zambezi Tour Operations director Cedric Jonker said they were happy because the tournament went on very well.
“We would like to thank NetOne for remaining loyal to us by supporting the event. It turned out to be a huge success. The course was in good condition and the weather was good,” he said.
NetOne marketing manager Ellen Muchemwa also echoed the same sentiments by saying there were happy over the way the competition was run.
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“The tournament went on very well although the golfers said the course was very tough. Our relationship with Zimbabwe Professional Golfers’ Association (ZPGA) has been growing since 1999 and it’s continuing. They organise the tournaments very well and there are no scandals,” she said.
Golfers from number one to 15 walked away with prize monies courtesy of sponsors NetOne.
Meanwhile, Zimbabwean professional Brendon De Jonge recorded his best of the season with a tie for fourth at the Greenbrier Classic Championship at the White Sulphur Spring Golf course in West Virginia over the weekend.
His previous season best finish was a tie for fifth place at the Transition Championship in March. De Jonge was one of the five players who finished one shot off the pace in regulation at nine-under 271, and all had a chance at some point on the back nine to close the gap.
The 31-year-old former Virginia Tech standout however made par on the final hole when he needed a birdie. De Jonge, who grew up in Zimbabwe, finished third in last year’s inaugural Classic.
“I actually had a terrible putt,” he said of the last hole. “I had it straight up the hill from four feet and barely touched the hole and just had a bad putt.
“It was exciting. It was fun. I just didn’t make any putts when I needed to. It would’ve been nice to make a couple more coming in,” De Jonge told West Virginia Sunday Gazette on Sunday.
De Jonge was co-leader with Webb Simpson after Friday’s second round, but ran into trouble during the third round when he clubbed a two-over 72 and slipped into a tie for 11th. On Sunday, De Jonge rebounded with five birdies after opening with a bogey — his only one during the final round.
