ZIMBABWE golfer Bruce McDonald achieved his best finish on the PGA Latino America Tour after finishing third in a two-way tie at the Colombian Coffee Classic at Club Campestre de Cali on Sunday. REPORT BY DANIEL NHAKANISO SPORTS REPORTER
The 31-year-old Bulawayo-born golfer, based in Charlotte, North Carolina in the United States, closed with a four-under -par 67 on the par-71 golf course to finish the tournament on eight-under-par 276.
McDonald, eyeing a place on the prestigious US PGA Tour, got his campaign off to a great start with an opening 67 on Thursday before following up with a 69 on Friday.
However, a two-over-par 73 in his third round on Saturday saw him lose a bit of ground from the leading pack before a solid 67 saw him claw back into contention.
He went on to finish just one shot shy of earning a place in the playoff. MacDonald was tied for third place with Argentina’s Matias O Curry who carded a final round level par 71.
The pair was just one shot behind the duo of Sebastian Fernandez from Argentina and Colombia’s Jose Manuel Garrido, who could not be separated after 72 holes, finishing on nine-under-par 277.
Fernandez went on to birdie the first extra hole of sudden-death playoff to earn his first win on the Latino America Tour.
However, for McDonald, this weekend’s performance was his highest finish on the PGA Latino America Tour after seventh place finish at the 65 Arturo Calle Colombian Open in September.
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Meanwhile, local professional golfers — two Zimbabwe professional golfers Tongo Charamba and Philip Tshuma — will take part in today’s pre-qualifying round for the Nelson Mandela Championship presented by ISPS Handa Qualifier at Selborne Park Golf Club.
The two would be hoping to join fellow Zimbabwean Ryan Cairns in the tournament proper which tees off at Royal Durban Golf Club on Thursday.
Cairns automatically qualified for the tournament due to his current position on the Sunshine Tour Order of Merit standings, after his breakthrough win on the tour early this year.
The €1 000 000 European and Sunshine tour cosanctioned event will be the first tournament on the European’s schedule for the 2013 season.
