Chronicle EditorTakudzwa Chitsiga Sports Reporter
THE Zimbabwe Golf Association have named the team for this year’s All Africa Golf Team Championships to be held at Elephant Hills Golf Club in Victoria Falls from October 8-12.
Zimbabwe will be hosting the continental golf showcase for the first time with golfers from 20 countries expected to feature in the event.
Tatenda Makunde and Rasheed Mahomed will be representing the country’s amateur golf team for the third time. The team also has seasoned players David Amm and Tonderai Masunga.
The ZGA announced the team through their president Mufaro Chivonivoni, who indicated that 20 countries, including South Africa who usually dominate the tournament, will turn up for this year’s event in Victoria Falls.
Masunga, the most senior player in the team having represented the country for more than five years, said he is happy with his current form. “I think we have a good team which is a mixture of both experience and new players, who are doing well.
The team is good and we have a good coach, who we have worked with for several years. “The players worked hard to make it into the team and I think they are the best. We are looking forward to give a good fight as we will be playing at home, so we need to prove ourselves.
“Playing at Elephant Hills will not be new to most of us so we will try and take advantage of course knowledge,” said Masunga.
Some of the countries that have already confirmed their participation at this tournament include Ghana, Seychelles, Mali, Nigeria, South Africa, Reunion Islands, Kenya, Namibia, Tunisia, Zambia, Mauritius, Uganda, Swaziland, Angola and Morocco.
The All Africa Golf Team Championships is held every two years and Zimbabwe finished third behind winners South Africa and the hosts Kenya, who came second, in 2015.
Countries are requested to send four of their top national amateur players along with a coach and president of their national association/Union for a contingent total of six.
The executives of the Africa Golf Confederation and representatives of the Royal and Ancient of Scotland usually grace the tournament.
The tournament is used to prepare top African amateurs golfers for the World Amateur Team Championships that are held every two years under the auspices of the International Golf Federation.
Roger Baylis will be the team coach while the team manager is Simon Murungweni and the players will get into camp on September 18 after the Hillside Masters to be held tomorrow and Sunday at Hillside Golf Club in Mutare.
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