Zim open tees off

Michael Kariati

At least 150 golfers are expected to take to the greens at Royal Harare for the Golden Pilsener  Zimbabwe Open — the most prestigious golf tournament in the country — which tees off today and runs until Sunday.To spice up the internationally acclaimed golf tournament, the organisers have manicured the greens, turned the bunkers and lengthened the par five number 16 by about 30 metres.
The hole now measures 563 metres.

While South African golfers have won the tournament since its return to the Sunshine Tour calendar five years ago, local golfers have struggled.
The last Zimbabwean golfer to win the competition — which is considered one of the top five golf tournaments in Africa — was Marc McNulty who won the contest way back in 2000.
Seasoned Sunshine Tour campaigner, Tongoona Charamba (pictured) who finished 10th in the tournament last year and Ryan Cairns who put up a good show in 2013 with a 21st placing will carry the nation’s hopes.
Other locals to look out for are Robson Saurobe, Farai Chitengwa, Mohammad Mandu, Ignatius Mutekete and Mark Williams.

David Amm, Kierren Vincent,Richard Chitakatira and Bryn Flanagan qualified for the championship proper after they impressed in the  pre-qualifiying tournament.
Amateurs Stuart Krog, Visitor Mapwanya, Tonderayi Masunga, and Doctor Maphosa will be buoyed on by the fact that the first winner of the Zimbabwe Open way back in 1984, was the late great Anderson Rusike, an amateur himself.
Local golfers will have to produce something out of the ordinary against golfers from far off countries like the USA, Australia, Spain, the Netherlands, Ireland, Denmark, Scotland, Brazil, England, Argentina and France who play regularly in their countries.

The tournament is sponsored to the tune of R1 800 000 and the winner will pocket R800 000 in prize money.
Delta Beverages, the country’s biggest brewer is the title sponsor through its Golden Pilsener brand.
Diversified financial services group, Old Mutual, Tongaat Hulett, MBCA Bank, Premier Auto, Liquid Telecom and Alexander Forbes-a leading financial and risk service provider, are the anchor sponsors.
South Africans have won the competition since the Zimbabwe Open was re-launched in 2010 including two titles by Jbe Kruger who won it in 2010 and last year.
Kruger who is quickly becoming a regular of the tournament, which has attracted a classy field of foreign golfers since its return, is lying 15th on the Sunshine Tour money leaders in which Ahlers Jeco who is also in the country for the tournament is the overall leader.

South Africa has a very strong presence in this competition with close to 100 golfers likely to take to the course.
Most of the Sunshine Tour money leaders will be at Royal Harare including fourth placed Jaccques Blaauw, sixth placed Dan Burmester, Keith Hone who is in eighth position as well as van der Walt Tjaart in ninth place and Van Den Berg Ulrich in 10th position.

The secretary of the organising committee Michael Mahachi has promised golf tournament of the highest order and with the quality of golfers on display, golf followers are guaranteed of a high-class show.