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Takudzwa Chitsiga Sports Reporter
THE Zimbabwe Junior golf team left the country yesterday for Nagoya, Japan, to play in the Toyota World Cup Junior Golf Tournament.
The team is made up of captain Jack Allard, Justin Kerstin, Kieran Vincent and David Amm.
Simon Chigorimbo is the team coach, while Zimbabwe Junior Golf Association president Brian Maphosa is the head of delegation.
Allard, who is making his maiden appearance at the event, is hopeful they will do well and fly the national flag high.
“It will be a tough competition as we will be facing some top players but we are confident that we will come up with a positive result,” said Allard.
“We have been training for the past weeks and our game has been improving with each outing and the guys are all experienced so we look forward to doing well.
“Our aim is to beat South Africa who have been dominating us in several events and if we can manage that then we will finish in a respectable position.”
He believes the experience of Kerstin and Vincent will be vital in their campaign.
“We have players who were part of the same event last year and they are familiar with the course and I hope that will help us as well.
“Kerstin and Vincent will help us with their experience of having played at the same course.
“We are a bit under pressure but it is our opportunity to prove that we can do well among top juniors in the world,” said Allard.
Other countries taking part are Australia, South Africa, United States, Argentina, Canada, Chile, France, Italy, South Korea, Mexico, Norway, Thailand, Venezuela and hosts Japan.
The Toyota Junior Golf World Cup is the world’s only junior golf championship where 15 national teams — winners of regional qualifiers held across six continents and featuring over 60 national teams — compete for the world championship.
The first tournament was staged in 1992 at Taisha Country Club in Izumo, Japan, with the United States team emerging victorious.
In 2002 Toyota Motor Company Japan announced a five-year commitment as title sponsor.
From 2005 to this year, the event has taken place at the Chukyo Golf Club, Ishino Course in Toyota City.
Online Reporter