Chatora carries hosts’ golf hopes

ON Tuesday morning, Zimbabwe announced an exciting five-member team that will represent the country at the forthcoming 2024 All Africa Golf Team Championship (AAGTC) that will be hosted by Bulawayo Golf Club.

The continent’s premier amateur golfing event will run from October 27 to November 2.

The five players who were tasked with flying the country’s flag high are Tanaka Chatora, Vincent Chidambazina, Kelvin Muchenje, Keegan Shutt and Michael Wallace. They will be under the tutelage of Simon Murungweni with Munodawafa Mutupo as the team manager.

Zimpapers Sports Hub takes a look at the players profile beginning with Tanaka Chatora.

Chatora — considered one of the best amateur golfers in the country, is no stranger to international events having previously represented Zimbabwe at numerous tournaments.

This year, he has been part of the national team in tournaments such as the Toyota Junior Golf World Championships in Nagoya, Japan in June, All-Africa Junior Team Championship in South Africa in April and the Region 5 Golf Tournament in Zambia among other events.

The 18-year-old also enjoys some notable individual milestones.

He started the year 2024 with a bang, winning the season opener at Bulawayo Golf Club; the Dugmore tournament. He was the only golfer to shoot an under-par score in a field of 40 players. He beat the second-placed Keagan Shutt by eight shots, with a two-under-par 214 gross.

Apart from local accolades that include the Dugmore and Roland Park Open, he also has an international accolade.

The Heritage School student last year won the inaugural NCBA Kenya Invitational Junior Tournament.

He dominated the boys’ 15-18 age group category, playing at the Windsor Golf Hotel and Country Club.

The AAGTC which is a biennial tournament, is the continent’s premier amateur golf event bringing together the best amateur golfers from across 20 African nations.

Morocco are the defending champions having dethroned perennial winners South Africa in the previous edition held in Egypt in 2022.

Participating teams are expected to arrive in Zimbabwe on October 27 and the official opening ceremony and practice round will be on October 28.

The championship’s first round is on October 29 and will stretch until November 1 for the fourth and final round before prize presentation.

Competing teams are set to leave Bulawayo on November 2, marking the end of the tournament. – @brandon_malvin