ZIMBABWE’S most promising stars will have the opportunity to test themselves against the world’s top-ranked junior golfers when they tee it up in the prestigious Toyota Junior Golf World Cup at Chukyo Country Club in Toyota City, Japan, today.
BY DANIEL NHAKANISO
The 23rd edition of the world’s premier junior golf international team championship will be contested over 72 holes of stroke play with the best three of four scores counting towards the team’s total score.
Zimbabwe, who are making their second consecutive appearance in Japan, are represented by the quartet of Kieran Vincent, Jack Allard, Justin Kersten and David Amm.
In an interview with NewsDay Sport from Japan yesterday, Vincent said they were looking forward to using the tournament as a learning curve.
“Yeah, it’s always good to come and play this tournament. You play against the best juniors in the world on an amazing golf course. The course (Chukyo Country Club) is tour standard and will obviously give everyone a fair test. We are not looking too far into the future, but will try to take one day at a time,” Vincent said.
Silver medallists at the All-Africa Junior Golf Championship in Zambia last month, Zimbabwe will rely heavily on the experience of Vincent and Kersten as the duo were part of the team which took part in last year’s edition of the prestigious competition.
The pair of Allard and Amm is also expected to equally contribute to the team’s cause as they have been in top form on the local junior circuit.
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Defending champions Norway will lead a strong line-up in the competition which features teams from Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Italy, Japan, Korea, Mexico, New Zealand, Scotland, South Africa, Sweden, the United States and Zimbabwe.
Neighbours South Africa, who won the coveted title in 2001, will be represented by the quartet of Keegan de Lange, Dylan Naidoo, Marco Steyn and Herman Loubser in the boys’ competition.
Meanwhile, South African Golf Association (SAGA) president Gerhard Conradie said they were pleased to see Zimbabwe at the global event.
SAGA last year successfully negotiated a berth for the All-Africa Junior Golf Championship runners-up (Zimbabwe), as well as a spot for South Africa in the field of the girls’ championship.
“We are extremely pleased to take two teams to the Toyota Junior Golf World Cup this year and we are excited for Zimbabwe, who will make their second appearance in Japan,” Conradie said.
“We are quite isolated from international competition in Africa and hence we welcome any chance to give our players, especially our emerging junior talent, the opportunity to compete on the international stage.
“It is fantastic to see the wide global participation in the Toyota Junior Golf World Cup and the opportunity it offers to so many juniors to benefit from this international competition.”
