Africa’s golfing stars tee off in South Africa

THE wait for the second edition of the eagerly anticipated Africa Amateur Championship and the Africa Amateur Women’s Invitational is nearly over, with the two events set to get underway at the majestic Leopard Creek Golf Course in South Africa tomorrow. The tournaments will run until Saturday.

Set against the stunning backdrop of the Kruger National Park, the Africa Amateur Championship and Africa Amateur Women’s Invitational provide a world-class platform for the region’s rising talent to compete against one another.

The Africa Amateur Championship and Africa Amateur Women’s Invitational have been developed by The R&A to nurture talent and provide a pathway for the continent’s elite amateur golfers to reach the international stage.

The winner of the Africa Amateur Championship will earn exemptions into The 153rd Open at Royal Portrush, The Amateur Championship, the Alfred Dunhill Championship, The Investec South African Open, and the Waterfall City Tournament of Champions powered by Attacq.

The winner of the Africa Amateur Women’s Invitational will earn starts in The Women’s Amateur Championship, Final Qualifying for the AIG Women’s Open, Joburg Ladies Open, The Investec South African Women’s Open and the Waterfall City Tournament of Champions powered by Attacq.

Zimbabwe will be represented by eight male golfers at the Africa Amateur Championship. The players are Vincent Chidambazina (Hillside Golf Club, Mutare), Kelvin Muchenje (ZRP Golf Club, Harare), Keegan Shutt (Royal Harare Golf Club), Darlington Chikanyambidze (Royal Harare Golf Club), Shepherd Chiwaya (Wingate Park Golf Club, Harare), Elton Zulu (Bindura Golf Club), Michael Wallace (Royal Harare Golf Club), and Tanaka Chatora (Royal Harare Golf Club).

The Women’s Invitational will see three Zimbabwean female golfers in action: Primrose Chikwaya, Miriam Masiya and Danielle Bekker.

The eight players to participate in this prestigious tournament were selected based on their World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR), previous performances, or their ranking at the All Africa Golf Team Championship Tournament, which was held in Bulawayo last October.

At last year’s inaugural championship, Zimbabwe’s Matthew Bramford was one of the stand-out performers, securing a fourth-place finish with an impressive 10-under-par 288. His round scores of 65, 74, 71, and 68 placed him just three shots behind the leading trio of Altin Van der Merwe, Christian Maas, and Ivan Vester, who all finished on 13-under-par. Van der Merwe eventually claimed victory after a play-off.

Another Zimbabwean top amateur golfer, Keegan Shutt, also made history during the tournament, setting a course record at Leopard Creek with a remarkable 10-under-par 62 in the fourth round. Shutt, who has represented Zimbabwe in various international championships, started on the 10th tee and made six birdies on his front nine before adding shots on his 11th and 12th holes, followed by a brilliant eagle on the 15th.

He finished the tournament tied for eighth place with a level-par 288.
The upcoming Africa Amateur Championship will feature 72 men from across the African region competing in a 72-hole stroke play format. — @brandon_malvin.