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Takudzwa Chitsiga Sports Reporter
THE Golden Pilsner Harare Open Golf Championships tees off at Chapman Golf Club with a field of 42 professionals expected to take part this morning. The tournament with a US$25 000 purse has attracted the country’s top professionals who will battle for the championship with the winner expected to walk away with at least US$4 500
Day Muyambo is the defending champion after taking the title from Shane Pringle who had won the inaugural event in 2011 at the same venue.
Muyambo has promised to successfully defend his title and said he is well prepared for the event and has beenworking hard in the build up to the competition.
“I am looking forward to the event and I have been practicing during the past days and I think I will do well this weekend,” said Muyambo.
The event has added some foreign flavour with Zambian professional Madalitso Muthiya who plays on the Canadian Tour confirming his participation.
Muthiya is expected to bring in the much needed competition but he will have to contend with the locals who are also looking forward to today’s round.
The 30-year-old played college golf at the University of Mexico before turning professional in 2005 and went on to finish second in the 2006 Zambian Open and joined the Canadian Tour in 2006.
However his main claim to fame is that in 2006 when he came through qualifying to become the first Zambian and black African to play in the US Open but he missed the cut.
Zimbabwe also boost of former Canadian Tour player Ryan Cairns whose form has seen him doing well in the Sunshine Tour and is now ranked on position 46 in the continent.
Golden Pilsner, who have the naming rights of the local Zambezi Tour, have come on board to sponsor the second last tournament of the 2013 season.
The Zimbabwe Ladies Golf Union have finished their seasons but the male professionals and amateurs will have to wait a little longer.
The smart money is on the professionals who are set to get the top prizes.
Much of the focus will fall on the battle between the likes of Tongo Charamba, Robson Saurombe, Shane Pringle, Ignatius Mketekete, Lyford Yadyo, Peter Banda, Brian Gondo, Roger Jack and Phillip Tshuma.
Cairns who missed the cut in the last Sunshine Tour tournament will also be looking for nothing short of victory.
The golfer dominated the Zambezi Tour last season and remains on top of the order of merit after some good outings in the previous events.
Zambezi Tour marketing and communications director Tendai Gwatiringa said the field is now in shape and the players are looking forward to the event.
“Following the close of entries, we have received a total of 42 entries for the 2013 Golden Pilsener Harare Open. The field is made up mostly of members of the Zambezi Tour who have entered to play.
Players like Mketekete and Charamba have been itching to get on to the course so as Gondo who had a good season last year. The tee off time for round one which begins tomorrow morning will be 0730hrs at Chapman Golf Club,” said Gwatiringa.
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