Prominent entrepreneur, philanthropist, and founder of Traverze Travel, Zodwa Mkandla, has backed budding golf sensation Darlington Chikanyambidze to scale dizzy heights in his professional career following a memorable, rollercoaster debut at the FBC Zimbabwe Open.
At just 20-years old, Chikanyambidze boldy chose to turn professional in March, a mere two months ago, right on the heels of winning the Julius Robinson Trophy in his final amateur appearance.
The transition has been nothing short of spectacular, proving that the young prodigy is ready to upgrade his career on the big stage.
Before testing his mettle at Royal Harare Golf Club, Chikanyambidze had already sent shockwaves through the local circuit.
He secured a stunning second-place finish on his pro debut at the Zimbabwe Professional Golfers Association (ZPGA) Championship in Kwekwe, followed by a top-10 finish at the NAC Pro/Am in March.
Just last month, he tied for second at the high-profile President’s Cup at the Bulawayo Country Club, building perfect momentum ahead of the country’s flagship golf tournament.
At the FBC Zimbabwe Open, Chikanyambidze initially stole the show. Displaying maturity beyond his years, he comfortably made the cut as the leading local golfer after two rounds, sitting at a brilliant 5-under-par.
However, with expectations mounting, the immense pressure of the weekend took its toll.
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The youngster capitulated slightly in the final rounds, ultimately closing the tournament on a 4-over-par total to finish in a tie for 58th alongside fellow Zimbabwean Michael Wallace—well behind eventual champion, South Africa's Altin van der Merwe, who stormed to victory at 21-under-par.
Despite the weekend heartbreak, Chikanyambidze’s immense potential was clear to see, and he was fortunate to have the backing of Mkandla’s Traverze Travel, who have served as the official travel partners for the Zimbabwe Open for the past two years.
Speaking on her excitement regarding the corporate sponsorship and the young golfer’s bright future, Mkandla could not hide her pride.
"I'm very, very proud. You know, when you are supporting a child and teaching a child what to do, and he excels in what you are doing and the support that you are giving, it makes us as parents very proud," Mkandla said.
"Like they say, a child is raised up by a village. So, I'm not his biological mother, but I'm his mother because I saw him, I saw the talent, I recognised the talent and decided to take him up and in this tournament to sponsor him. We're so, so proud."
Mkandla marvelled at how the 20-year-old captivated the tournament's gallery, drawing massive crowds that rivalled seasoned international pros.
"This is his first time to play the Zimbabwe Open, it's also his first time to play as a pro. He's been an amateur all this time, only turned pro I think a month or so ago, and also I'm sure he's one of the youngest players that has made us so proud because he's competing with people that have been playing Zim Open and other international tournaments in the world for a long time. And as you have seen, he's actually one of the most popular kids in the tournament. You've seen how many he's got, thousands of people following him through. That makes us so proud as a country, as an individual, as a mother, and as a supporter, and it's done us very proud."
While acknowledging the tough final rounds, she sent a clear warning to the rest of the field ahead of the 2027 edition.
"I would have loved him to be in the top three, but for next year, we know. Next year, we must watch this space. Next year, we must watch this space," she added enthusiastically.
Mkandla also reflected on her own journey back to the sport and the corporate synergy between Traverze Travel and the Zimbabwe Open.
"I used to play golf back in 2010, then I stopped. So when I came back into golf, I thought, let me give back. Let me come and play golf and support. For me, I'm a marketing person, I'm a sales person. Most of my clients are in golf, most of the clients are in golf. So it's part of giving back to my clients, and come, let's chill, let's play golf, let's enjoy and watch golf together. And Zimbabwe Open has given us this opportunity to be able to exhibit, because we're actually their official travel partner, and we're very proud to partner with them. And definitely, next year, we're going to be here again, and we'll take the trophy for our."
A renowned philanthropist, Mkandla is no stranger to using the sport for a greater cause. She has consistently leveraged golf to raise funds for the Zodwa Mkandla Foundation, hosting a highly successful annual fundraising golf tournament.
Looking ahead, the Traverze Travel boss expressed a keen intention to expand her footprint in sports development by taking many other budding golfers under her wings to sponsor, nurture, and groom them for the elite leagues.
The Sports Hub understands that the foundation is already courting one of the country's brightest young female golf stars, Miriam Masiya, as they look to build a formidable stable of future champions.
