The 2026 FBC Zimbabwe Open concludes today at Royal Harare Golf Club, and while the leaderboard reflects the usual battle for supremacy, the emotional heart of the tournament lies further down the scorecard.
For Zimbabwean professional Tonderai Masunga, this year’s edition was never truly about the prize money or the ranking points. It was a pilgrimage for a fallen brother.
Masunga returned to the fairways this week with a singular mission: to play in honor of his late colleague and friend, Morton Kombai.
Last year, the golf fraternity was plunged into mourning when a horrific road accident occurred just after the conclusion of the tournament.
The crash claimed the life of Kombai and left four other golfers—Masunga, Biggie Chibvuri, Malawi’s Victor Kachepatsonga, and Ghana’s Lucky Ayisa—with serious injuries.
For Masunga, the road back to the tee box was paved with physical and emotional pain. Following the accident, he was bedridden for three months, nursing severe jaw injuries that threatened to end his career.
"This tournament is special for me this time because of what happened last year," Masunga shared emotionally. "One of my friends and fellow golf player Morton Kombayi died. So this year, this tournament is all about him. I am playing for him and remembering him for all the moments we shared playing golf."
The bond between the two was deep, rooted in a mutual respect that transcended the sport. "I was quite close with Kombai. He used to call me Nzou (his totem) and I used to call him Shumba. His death was a big loss for me and also for the golf fraternity," he added.
- Golf prodigy Mandava dreams big
- All set for Nama Golf Day
- Cairns claims wire-to-wire win in ZPGA Championship
- Big field for Mutupo/Isibongo golf season opener
Keep Reading
Masunga’s journey to the professional ranks is a testament to the never-say-die spirit of Zimbabwean golf.
A self-taught talent, his career began at Wingate Golf Club in 2006, where he started as a caddie. He followed in the footsteps of his father, Gilbert Masunga, who also caddied at the club.
In those early days, Masunga and a group of youngsters —including Tatenda Makunde, Nelson Chitumbwi, Bernard Chiwaya, and Simon Dzirondiro—would borrow clubs from golf legend Lewis Muridzo. They would disappear into the quiet corners of the course, teaching themselves the mechanics of a swing that would eventually take Masunga to the pro ranks in 2018.
Inspired by figures like Nickson Masunga, Shepherd Chiwaya, Stanley Bechani, and Kudzanayi Gube, his ultimate dream was to become a professional golfer and emulate the success of Tongo Charamba.
Before turning pro, Masunga proved his mettle as an amateur, clinching the 2013 Wingate Club Championship and the 2015 Kwekwe Open. Since turning professional, the sport has allowed him to build a house in his rural home of Mt Darwin, a feat he holds with immense pride.
While none of the three other golfers involved in the 2025 accident managed to make the cut this year—Masunga carded rounds of 74 and 76 to finish six-over-par—their presence alone was a victory. Seeing Chibvuri, Kachepatsonga, and Ayisa back on the grass was a poignant reminder of their survival.
"I am happy to see guys like Ayisa from Ghana and Victor Kachepatsonga from Malawi; they are also here after the accident we had," Masunga said. "It has not been easy to bounce back... but I am happy to be back now."
Though the trophy will be lifted by another today, Tonderai Masunga walks away with a different kind of fulfillment. He didn't just play 36 holes; he kept a promise to Shumba, ensuring that while Morton Kombai is gone, his spirit still walks the fairways of the Zimbabwe Open.
