daniel chigunwe
Takudzwa Chitsiga
Zimpapers Sports Hub
AFTER taking the first-round lead at the Africa Amateur Championship at Leopard Creek in South Africa, Zimbabwe’s Tanaka Chatora dropped to sixth place in the second round after a three-over-par yesterday.
The 18-year-old is still in the running for possibly winning the second edition of the tournament that has attracted several top amateurs from across the continent.
Chatora is currently in fine form and recently won the Zimbabwe Golf Association’s tournament opener, the Dugmore Trophy, in Bulawayo a fortnight ago.
With a total of 13 local players, including ten boys and three girls, participating, Chatora was outstanding with two eagles and five birdies in a superb round of 65 in the first round before he had another outstanding second round.
Having had an eagle on the par-five second hole, Chatora’s good form came unstuck on hole number 17, where he dropped three crucial shots.
“I’m feeling great. I think the goal for today was just to have fun, and I definitely did.
“I’m very happy with how I came back after two bogeys that I made were pretty much unforced errors.
“It kind of annoyed me in the moment, but I got past it very well.
“Now, I’m very happy to have managed to bring it back on the back nine.
“I had a lot of fun out there on the course, and the two eagles that I had were a highlight.
“How often does one have two eagles in a round?
“It’s not very often. It comes once in a while, and I’m very happy and grateful to have signed for a 65,” said Chatora.
South Africa’s Craig Roelof leads the second round on eight-under-par after carding impressive rounds of 68 and 68 for a total of eight-under-par.
Newman Bryan, also of South Africa, is tied for second place with top-ranked player in the field and Kenya’s Michael Karanga as they trail the leader Roelof with two shots.
Jack Buchanan, who carded a level-par 72, is tied for fourth place with Johndre Ludick at five-under-par.
Also in the race is Royal Harare’s Keegan Shutt, who is three-over-par after rounds of 74 and 73 for a total of three-over-par, while Darlington Chikanyambidze is in a distant position, 27th, at ten-over.
In the Africa Amateur Women’s Invitational, Zimbabwe’s representatives struggled with United States-based Danielle Bekker, the highest placed on position 10 on 14-over.
Royal Harare’s Miriam Masiya is in 12th place on 17 over.
Another United States-based girls’ player, Primrose Chikwaya, is in position 18 at 27-over-par.
The girls section is led by Gia Road of South Africa on three-under-par.
Road had impressive rounds’ of 72 and 69 going into today’s round, while Bobbi Brown is second.
First-round leader Lisa Coetzer, who had an opening round of two-under-par 70, returned a three-over-par to take third place.
The winner of the Africa Amateur Championship will earn exemptions into the 153rd Open at Royal Portrush, the Amateur Championship, the Alfred Dunhill Championship, the Investec South African Open, and the Waterfall City Tournament of Champions.
In the women’s section, the winner’s earn starts in The Women’s Amateur Championship, the final qualifying rounds for the AIG Women’s Open, Joburg Ladies Open, The Investec South African Women’s Open, and the Waterfall City Tournament of Champions powered by Attacq.
Online Reporter