adminMidlands Amateur Championships, which tees off this morning.
The last time the golfers played in Midlands was some four months ago in the Bata Power tournament, won by leading amateur Clive Nguru.
Nguru may not make the trip to the Midlands for the last tournament of the season as he is sitting for his “O” level examinations. The golfer missed last week’s Lavista Leopard Rock Open to add to the Lowveld Pro-Am, which he also skipped, because of commitments to the national team.
Nguru, with four titles under his belt – the Julius Robinson Trophy, Matabeleland Amateur, Bata Power and Hillside Masters – has been the hotshot this season. His absence will open the way for Ben-Follet Smith to shoot his way to a possible victory.
The absences of the country’s number one amateur golfer will also clear the way to the podium for the likes of Nicholas Masunga, Tonderai Magaso, Biggie Chibvuri, Bret Krog among others. The Zimbabwe Golf Association president, Martin Rateiwa, said the season had gone on very well and they were expecting a fitting finale.
The Midlands Amateur is the last tournament on the calendar with the Zimbabwe Ladies Golf Association having wrapped up their season last week with the Matchplay at Chapman Golf Club.
“We are looking forward to wrapping the season on a high note. The season was very competitive and exciting and I am hopeful that the golfers will be bracing for next season, which we are sure it will bring it’s own new dimensions.
“Our players are improving very much considering that no one actually dominated in the competitions with different winners emerging in most of the tournaments.
“Unlike in the Scott Vincent-era, where he monopolised most of the tournaments, the game is now different,” Rateiwa said.
The ZGA has been struggling to fill the void left by the resignation of secretary Joe Sithole, who has opted to pursue business interests in Mozambique.
Online Reporter