ZGA names team for Zone 6 champs

FOLLOWING the last edition of the Dugmore Trophy held at Bulawayo Golf Club two weeks ago, the Zimbabwe Golf Association (ZGA) has named an eight-member team for the Zone 6 championships.  The tournament, to be held in Cape Town, South Africa, has been slated for April 13 to 19.

The team where players with the highest points from the three amateur tournaments played were selected comprises of seasoned amateur golfers.  These are Clive Nguru, Thembelami Vundla, and Christian Mbanga who will captain the team, Jack Allard, Stuart Krogg, Visitor Mapwanya, Tonderayi Masunga and Pride Sembo. The team will be coached by Roger Bailey while Mufaro Chionioni will be the team manager. There are 20 amateur golf tournaments which are played across the country where players collect points.

The Dugmore Trophy, which over the years, has traditionally been the season opener and is played in the second week of January, was postponed to make way for Julius Robinson Trophy played at Chapman Golf Club and the Mashonaland West Amateur Championships which were played in February.

ZGA vice president, Tavenganiswa Mabikacheche, expressed confidence that the team would do well in Cape Town despite missing the services of Biggie Chibvuri and John Zigaba who have been part of the Zone 6 teams over the past few years. The duo last year turned professional.

“We are confident of winning this year’s (Zone 6) championships but if we fail we will have to settle for second position which we have achieved over the years as South Africa has always eclipsed us.

“We might have lost the services of Biggie Chibvuri and John Zigaba who turned professional but we still have seasoned players in (Clive) Nguru and (Thembelami) Vundla who have been part of the team for the last four years which shows the level of experience in the team,” said Mabikacheche.

“The captain, Christian Mbanga, has also done well while Stuart Krogg has acquitted himself well in recent months, so we will give the South Africans who have dominated the championships a good run for their money,” he said. Krogg was last year in the United States of America.

Zimbabwe has been the bridesmaids of the championships over the past six years coming second in five championships with the last one being in Namibia last year. The only time the country failed to come second was in Malawi in 2012. Meanwhile, Harare clubs dominated the Dugmore Trophy which saw Chapman A Golf Club coming first while Royals Harare A Golf Club were the runners-up.