ZIMBABWEAN professional golfers will have a chance to redeem themselves after a disappointing campaign on home soil when they tee it up in the Mopani/Redpath Zambia Open Golf Championship which gets underway at Nkana Golf Club in Kitwe on Thursday.
BY DANIEL NHAKANISO
Ten Zimbabwean professional golfers, including recently crowned Golden Pilsener Zimbabwe Open champion Dean Burmester, feature on the entry list for the lucrative tournament which has a prize fund of R3 200 000.
The other local golfers who will feature in the tournament include Tongo Charamba, Mark Williams, and Ryan Cairns who qualify automatically due to their exemption status on the Sunshine Tour.
Mohammad Mandhu, who won the Pre-Open Classic recently together with the likes of Robson Saurombe, Farayi Chitengwa, Greg Bentley, Brian Gondo and Gary Thompson are also expected to be part of the strong field of 160 golfers which will battle for the $300 000 top prize.
Cairns will be looking for another solid week finishing as the highest placed local professional in the Golden Pilsener Zimbabwe Open on position 14.
The 31-year-old golfer who was sidelined with injury for most of last season should be encouraged with his perfomance on home soil as he carded rounds of 71-72-70 and 71 for a 72-hole on four-under-par 284 total.
Zambia’s golf ace Madalitso Muthiya, who finished second in the 2006 championship and made a cut in last year’s event, will lead local golfers. South African Desvonde Botes, who won the 1996 Zambia Open, 2012 winner Justin Harding, 2006 winner Doug McGuigan and two-time winner Adilson da Silva (2010, 2013) will also be targeting glory in the Copperbelt.
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Meanwhile US-based Zimbabweans Brendon de Jonge and leading amateur golfer Scott Vincent had a good week on the US PGA Tour after making the cut at the RBC Heritage Classic played at the Harbour Town Golf Links in South Carolina.
Brendon de Jonge posted an even-par 71 on Sunday to finish in a tie for 18th position on the final leaderboard on an 8-under 276.
Vincent, who was making his first appearance on the PGA Tour, posted a four-round total of even-par 284 to finish in a tie for 64th place.
The 22-year-old golfer, who is on a golf scholarship at Virginia Tech University, completed his week with a two-over-par 73 on Sunday.
He had carded a 71 on Saturday and had identical one-under 70 in the first two rounds on Thursday and Friday. This was Vincent’s debut in a PGA Tour-sponsored event.
American veteran Jim Furyk defeated Kevin Kisner on the second playoff hole to claim the championship. Both finished at 18-under.
