The NetOne Leopard Rock Classic golf series which tees off on Thursday will have a bigger purse after the sponsors doubled the total prize fund from last year’s $10 000 to $20 000 this year.
The prize fund is also $ 7 000 more than the NetOne Bulawayo Classic in July whose total prize money was $13 000.
The Bulawayo NetOne tournament was the first leg of NetOne’s triangular series that started in Bulawayo, then Leopard Rock before winding up with the grand finale at Borrowdale Brooke in the capital next month.
This year’s 54-hole NetOne Leopard Rock tournament comes hard on the heels of the Hwange Chaferfly Golf Open which was won by the rejuvenated Tongo Charamba and is the fourth tournament on the Golden Pilsner Zambezi Golf Tour.
An absorbing contest is expected from the star-studded field that includes Ignatius Mketekete who won in Bulawayo, Open champion Shane Pringle, Robson Saurombe, Rogers Jack Charamba and Philip Tshuma, among others.
Zimbabwe Professional Golfers’ Association (ZPGA) president Akil Yousuf, South Africa-based Zimbabwean professional Ryan Cairns and Zambian Patrick Mwendapole will also slug it out with the local pros.
Yousuf paid tribute to NetOne for their continued support in the development of golf.
“We thank NetOne as our biggest sponsor because they stood by us in the toughest of times.
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“This year we are happy that their sponsorship has increased and this has a huge impact on the welfare of the winning professional players and gives us the more reasons why we cherish their support,” said the ZPGA boss.
NetOne managing director Reward Kangai said: “We are confident in the growth of the golfing profession hence our investment into the sport since 1999.
“We are proud to be the biggest sponsor of golf in the country especially through enhancing the professional careers of many golfers who participate in our NetOne Golf Classic Tour.
“These pro-ams are also good for our customers who are taught the good game by the professionals.”
After the Leopard Rock Classic is the grand finale at Borrowdale Brooke from October 26-28.
Meanwhile, Charamba rose to top of the Golden Pilsner Zambezi Tour money list after his victory at the Hwange Chaferfly Golf Open at Hwange Colliery Golf Club on Sunday.
Charamba has earned a cool $4 007, 50 from three tournaments in which he has a decent record of one win in Hwange, a second place finish at Bulawayo NetOne and a tie for eighth place at the Open Classic.
The winner in the Bulawayo leg Mketekete is in second position with season earnings of $3 504, 83 from three tournaments while Saurombe, Tshuma and Peter Banda complete the top five respectively.
