ZIMBABWE’s leading golfers Brendon De Jonge and Ryan Cairns continued to lift the country’s flag high at the highest level after making the cut in their respective tournaments on the PGA Tour and European Tour respectively.
De Jonge, the country’s sole representative on the PGA Tour, made the cut in his fifth straight event at the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am at Pebble Beach Golf Links, US.
The bulky Zimbabwean golfer, however, could not improve from his opening round 67 as he followed it up with other rounds of 71, 73, 72 to finish on three-under-par 283.
De Jonge, who is now ranked 24th on the Fedex Cup standings, walked away with $18 427,50 which took his earnings this season to $347 564.
The former St Johns College student will later this week shift his attention to the $1 188 000 Northern Trust Open at Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades, California starting on Thursday. While De Jonge was slugging it out at Pebble Beach, closer home another Zimbabwean golfer Ryan Cairns enjoyed a decent outing at the €1,3 million Jo’burg Open at Royal Johannesburg and Kensington Golf Club.
Cairns, who was the only Zimbabwean in the European Tour-co-sanctioned event, finished in a tie for 55th after finishing on six-under-par 281 following round of 67, 70, 70 and 74 in 72-hole tournament. The one-time Sunshine Tour winner walked away with R52 852,80 for his efforts.
Cairns, who will celebrate his 29th birthday tomorrow, will shift his attention to the Africa Open golf tournament which tees off at the East London Golf Club on Thursday.
Four other local golfers, Greg Bentley, Brian Gondo, Michael Hough and Ignatius Mketekete will battle for a place in the tournament proper through the pre-qualifying round at Fish River Sun Country Club today.
- Chamisa under fire over US$120K donation
- Mavhunga puts DeMbare into Chibuku quarterfinals
- Pension funds bet on Cabora Bassa oilfields
- Councils defy govt fire tender directive
Keep Reading
Women’s golf The Zimbabwe Ladies’ Golf Union (ZLGU) will this weekend host the ZLGU Inter-Provincials at Ruwa Country Club which will take place on Saturday and Sunday.
The Inter-provincial tournament will be the second tournament on the ZLGU calendar after last month’s Mashonaland East/West Provincial Strokeplay tournament held at Ruwa Country Club from January 19-20.
The ZLGU Inter-Provincials will give female local golfers a chance to prepare for the All Africa Challenge Trophy (AACT) to be held in Pretoria, South Africa from May 12 to 16.
The AACT will be the biggest tournament for local women golfers. The biannual tournament was last year held in Abuja, Nigeria, and Zimbabwe did well in the West African Country.
Top golfers in the order of merit will make the team which will travel for the event.
