Online Reporter
Zimpapers Sports Hub
NYASHA Muyambo and Ryan Cairns on Thursday flew the Zimbabwean flag highest on the opening day of the 2025 FBC Zimbabwe Open, both carding two-under-par 70s to finish tied for 14th at Royal Harare Golf Club.
Their solid starts kept the home hopes alive in a first round lit up by aggressive play and shot making flair, as the
Sunshine Tour’s 2025/26 season teed off in style on Harare’s storied fairways.
Muyambo’s rollercoaster round included seven birdies, more than most players in the top ten, tempered by two double bogeys and a single dropped shot. The 27-year-old shrugged off setbacks with confident putting and creative iron play.
“I just stuck to my plan,” Muyambo said afterward. “There were some bad holes in there, but I knew if I kept attacking the pins, I could still post a good score. It’s about being fearless out here.”
Cairns, ever the seasoned campaigner, was more measured but no less effective. His round featured five birdies, a bogey and one double bogey as he plotted his way around the firm Royal Harare layout.
“I gave myself a lot of looks today and took the chances when they came,” Cairns said. “It’s always special to play well at home, especially in front of family and friends.”
Leading the pack is South African veteran Hennie Otto, whose six-under-par 66 gave him a slender one-shot lead. Otto, a 14 time Sunshine Tour winner, mixed fireworks with recovery skills, his round included eight birdies and an eagle on the par-five 3rd, offset by two bogeys and a double on the tricky 11th.
Hot on his heels are Tyronne Ryan, Doug McGuigan, Luis Carrera and Austin Bautista, all tied for second at five-under 67. Carrera’s highlight was a blistering run of five straight birdies from holes two to six, while Ryan eagled the 3rd and 16th.
In the amateur field, Michael Wallace, Keegan Shutt, Tanaka Chatora and Devon Valentine top the local leaderboard with rounds of 75.
After a gritty day, Shutt reflected: “I struggled today. I was four-over through 10 and brought it back to two-over through 13. I missed birdie chances on five, six, seven, then a bogey on nine left me three-over,” he said. “The game was there. I just got unlucky in some places.”
The cut will be made after Friday’s second round, setting up a weekend battle under Zimbabwe’s autumn skies.
