THE 2026 edition of the world’s largest amateur golf competition, the Sterling International Pairs Golf Tournament, was officially launched in Harare on Friday night, with qualifiers teeing off yesterday and set to run until August 22 across the country.
The prestigious tournament has drawn massive interest from Zimbabwe’s amateur golfing community, with 32 golf clubs from around the country taking part in the nationwide qualifiers.
Following the success of last year’s edition, this year’s competition has attracted more than 1 300 participants, underlining the rapid growth of grassroots golf participation in Zimbabwe.
A total of 126 golfers will eventually converge at the Country Club in Harare for the Zimbabwe Finals, where the country’s representatives for the World Finals will be determined.
The winning pair will earn the honour of representing Zimbabwe at the International Pairs World Finals scheduled for Tenerife, Spain, from October 5 to 9 later this year.
Speaking during the official launch, Zimbabwe Golf Association president Blessmore Gandawa said the tournament goes beyond competition and plays a major role in tourism promotion and economic development.
“This tournament is not only about competition. It is about creating experiences, it is about partnerships, it is about economic opportunity. And importantly, it is about opening Zimbabwe to the world through sport,” Gandawa said.
The ZGA boss believes the tournament presents a golden opportunity to market Zimbabwe as a premier golfing and tourism destination while simultaneously boosting local participation in the sport.
“It provides us with an opportunity to showcase Zimbabwe to regional and international golfers, while simultaneously stimulating participation at club level and encouraging domestic golf tourism within our borders,” he said.
Gandawa also hailed the tournament’s role in talent identification and grassroots development, saying the nationwide qualifiers are creating a platform for emerging golfers to shine.
“We want to see more youths and amateur golfers participating in the game. The growth of golf begins at grassroots level, and tournaments like this help us build a stronger foundation for the future of Zimbabwean golf.
“By taking the qualifiers across different clubs and provinces, we are creating opportunities for upcoming golfers to compete, gain exposure and showcase their abilities on a bigger platform. Some of the country’s future stars can emerge from competitions such as the International Pairs tournament,” he said.
Title sponsors Sterling Group of Hotels reaffirmed their commitment to supporting sports tourism and amateur golf development in Zimbabwe, with managing director Shaurai Manyika saying that the company was proud to once again partner the tournament as part of efforts to support tourism growth through sport.
“We are proud to once again partner with International Pairs for this 2026 edition because we strongly believe in the value of sports tourism and its potential to contribute meaningfully to the economy.
“In direct support of the national efforts spearheaded by the Ministry of Tourism and Hospitality Industry and the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority to grow and develop tourism, Sterling Group fully supports platforms that promote Zimbabwe as a tourism destination,” Manyika said.
Manyika added that the tournament gives amateur golfers an important platform to experience elite competition.
“Our focus is on supporting amateur golfers and creating opportunities for them to experience competitive golf at a higher level. We looked at the International Pairs tournament and felt it presented one of the best platforms to achieve that objective,” he said.
Minister of Tourism and Hospitality Industry Barbara Rwodzi, who attended the launch, applauded the tournament for bringing nations together while promoting Zimbabwe’s tourism potential.
“Government is proud to support tournaments such as the International Pairs Golf Tournament because they bring nations together and create important opportunities for Zimbabwe to showcase its tourism potential and hospitality to the world.
“This tournament is not only about golf, but it is also about marketing Zimbabwe as a destination. It allows us to showcase what we have as Zimbabweans, including our beautiful tourist attractions, our culture, and our warm hospitality,” Rwodzi said.
Last year’s edition, held at Sun City in South Africa, featured Zimbabwean amateur golfers Samson Mavunga and Tadeous Lazaro, with expectations high that even more local golfers will qualify for this year’s global finals in Spain following the overwhelming participation numbers recorded in the current edition.
By Patrick Mubwandarikwa