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Brandon Moyo
A SOLID first round performance by Zimbabwe’s Vincent Chidambazina saw him lead the country’s contingent on Day One of the 2024 All Africa Golf Team Championship (AAGTC) which teed off at Bulawayo Golf Club yesterday.
Chidambazina carded an impressive two-under-par-70 on the tournament’s opening round and is tied for fifth place with Joseph Cwinyaai of Uganda, Marc Nkenge Obame of Gabon, Jordan Burnand and Astin Arthur both from South Africa.
The overnight lead was taken by Egypt’s Issa Amr Abou Elela who is tied for first with Joseph Reagan Akena who shot four-under-par-68.
On the front nine, Chidambazina birdied the par-three third hole before he boggeyed the par-four sixth and ninth holes. The
Manicaland golf prodigy carded 37 on his front nine as he leveled par on other rounds.
On the back nine, Chidambazina birdied the par-four 10th hole, par-five 14th, par-four 16th and and par-five 18th holes to complete what turned out to be a good first round for the Zimbabwean ace.
However, a bogey on the 15th saw him finish his back nine with a 33 total.
The other Zimbabweans on the course were not too far off.
Team captain Michael Wallace shot two-over-par-74 as he finished tied for 17th alongside Folindo Rodrick of Malawi and Alexandre Illien of Gabon.
Wallace shot 38 in his front nine and 36 in his back nine.
Keegan Shutt finished the round on four-over-par-76 and was tied for position 23 alongside the Kenyan duo of Krish Shah and John Lejirma, Mongi Masuku of Eswatini and Gabriel De Billiot from Mauritius.
To complete Zimbabwe’s team was Kelvin Muchenje who finished tied for position 30 after carding five-over-par-77.
Muchenje is tied alongside Peter Lumbe of Malawi, Nathi Tsabedze of Eswatini, Khanya Nhlengethwa also from Eswatini and Julien Planel from Mauritius.
The 2024 AAGTC is the second edition of the premier continental championship to be hosted by Zimbabwe after the 2017 edition was held at Elephant Hills Golf Course in Harare.
It is a biennial event which features the crème dela crème of African golf.
This year’s event features 11 countries and a new champion will be crowned after the defending champions Morocco couldn’t make it.
Morocco won the 2022 event that was held in Egypt, dethroning perennial winners South Africa.
Online Reporter