BY DANIEL NHAKANISO VETERAN Zimbabwean professional golfer Julius Kamalizeni stole the show in the second round of the FBC Zimbabwe Open after making a memorable hole in one at Chapman Golf Club yesterday, but missed out on the prize of a luxury vehicle for being on the other course.
The Wingate Park Golf Club-based professional shot a hole in one with a six-iron at the 171-meter par-three second hole, but missed out on the Jaguar E-Pace Limited Edition because it came at Chapman and not at Royal Harare Golf Club.
There is also a Land Rover Discovery 3.0 Diesel HSE Luxury vehicle to be won by the player who lands the first eagle on the par-four 18th hole at Royal Harare Golf Club throughout the four days.
It was a second career hole-in-one for Kamalizeni, who relishes the big moments after scoring his first hole-in-one during the first round of the Eisenhower Trophy at Stellenbosch Golf Club on October 26, 2006, in Stellenbosch, South Africa.
“I’m happy that I scored my second hole in one in such a big event such as the FBC Zim Open. I was feeling good, I had made par on the first hole and all of a sudden, I made the hole in one. It brought me back in the tournament but it also got to my head,” Kamalizeni said.
The well-respected Zimbabwe pro was, however, unable to make the cut after carding a five-over-par 77 to follow up his opening round 79 on Thursday.
Away from Kamalizeni’s heroics, South Africa’s rising star Luca Filippi, playing flawlessly, taking advantage of the favourable conditions at Chapman Golf Club to card a spectacular seven-under-par 65 and take a commanding six-shot lead.
After starting his campaign with a 68 at Royal Harare Golf Club on Thursday, Filippi a former winner of the All Africa Junior Challenge individual title on the same course five years ago, took a particular liking to the Chapman layout.
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The 23-year-old will start the third round with a healthy lead ahead of compatriot Louis de Jager, who is on six-under-par after identical rounds of 69 in the opening two rounds.
After starting the tournament with a spectacular 65 at Royal Harare Golf Club, overnight leader Louis Albertse found the going tough at Chapman after signing for a two-over-par 74 in the second round.
Also, on five-under-par are Zambia’s Madalitso Muthiya, the South African duo of Jaco Alhers, Albert Venter and American Dan Erickson.
Royal Harare Golf Club top professional Ryan Cairns is the highest placed Zimbabwean golfer, tied for 10th position after carding a two-under-par 70 at Chapman Golf Club for a total of three-under-par.
Cairns is only one of two Zimbabwean professional golfers, who finished the opening two rounds with red numbers along with Nyasha Muyambo, who followed up his level par round of 72 in the opening round with a 71 for a total of one-under-par 71.
In total 12 Zimbabwean golfers made the 36-hole cut which was set at +4 with two of them being junior golfers Keegan Shutt and Michel Wallace, who are both in the running for the amateur trophy.
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