TOURISM minister Barbara Rwodzi has challenged organisers of the Sterling International Pairs Golf Tournament to bid for Zimbabwe to host the World Finals of the prestigious amateur competition, as the government intensifies efforts to position the country as a leading sports tourism destination.
Rwodzi made the call during the launch of the 2026 edition of the tournament at the Sterling Hub in Harare last week.
The tournament will feature more than 1 300 amateur golfers from 32 clubs across the country in nationwide qualifiers, culminating in the National Final at The Country Club in Harare on August 22. The winning pair will represent Zimbabwe at the International Pairs World Finals in Tenerife, Spain, from October 5 to 9.
The global event will be staged at Golf del Sur and Amarilla Golf, with Hotel Barcelo serving as the official headquarters.
Rwodzi said Zimbabwe was ready to support a bid to bring the international finals to the country.
“What you are doing in the communities through golf is applauded. We want to continue supporting and to ensure that the objectives of this tournament within our country are met,” she said.
Keep Reading
- ‘Tourism on the rebound’
- Minister, police boss in heated tantrum
- Nip violence in the bud
- Deputy minister’s assault case takes new twist
“All-of-government and all-of-society approaches through sport, particularly golf, are encouraging. Golf on its own is tourism. We are sending our champions to Spain for the World Finals but, when you get there, do not hesitate to bid for the finals to come to Zimbabwe — we will support you.
“It is more impactful to change their perception of who we are when they come to this country in their numbers.”
Rwodzi said hosting the tournament would help showcase Zimbabwe’s tourism potential and cultural heritage to international visitors.
“We want them to come and witness this beautiful Zimbabwe with the beautiful endowments that are God-given. And we want them to experience our warmth, our culture and everything that we have to offer,” she said.
Running under the theme “Experience Zimbabwe, One Fairway at a Time”, the tournament is part of the government’s broader Vision 2030 agenda, which seeks to transform Zimbabwe into an upper-middle-income economy through tourism and heritage-based development.
Rwodzi said the partnership between government, tournament organisers and Albatros Golf Company reflected growing recognition of the economic potential of amateur golf.
“The reason why we agreed to partner with Albatros Company when they approached us in 2024 is because of the background they were giving us,” she said.
“They said this is more about the ordinary man and woman who have a passion for golf.”
Sterling Group of Hotels, the tournament’s title sponsor for the past three years, said sports tourism was central to efforts to support the government’s target of building a US$5 billion tourism industry.
Sterling Group managing director Shaurai Manyika said the hospitality group was expanding aggressively while deepening its investment in sport.
“As a group, we believe that staying stationary is not an option. Growth is in our DNA,” Manyika said.
“We are finalising the acquisition of a prime piece of land downstream of Victoria Falls, near the Batoka Hydroelectricity project.”
She said the group had also launched Capital Sterling Management to mobilise funding for expansion projects.
Manyika said Sterling’s support for amateur golf was deliberate because recreational players formed the backbone of the sport in Zimbabwe.
“We decided to support amateur golfers because they represent the single largest golfing community in Zimbabwe,” she said.
“So, to all the hackers, weekend warriors, and those who spend more time in the sand bunkers than the fairways — rest assured, the Sterling Group is making sure you are not left behind. Amateur golf is the bedrock of the sport.”
The hospitality group recently signed a memorandum of understanding with the Bulawayo Metropolitan Rugby Board and hosted Zimbabwe’s Sables rugby team alongside Zambia’s national side for an international fixture earlier this month.
Sterling’s growing portfolio includes the Sterling Resort in Kanyemba, Sterling Castle and Boutique Lodge in Glen Lorne, the Sterling Hotel and Conference Centre in Mvurwi, the Sterling Hotel in Bulawayo and the Sterling Hospitality School.
With the local qualifiers now underway, Zimbabwe’s top amateur pair will earn the chance to fly the country’s flag at one of the world’s biggest amateur golf events later this year.