adminTakudzwa Chitsiga Sports Reporter
SEASONED campaigner Robson Saurombe is leading the Golden Pilsener Harare Open professional golf tournament after shooting an impressive round of six-under-par 66 in the opening round at Chapman yesterday.
The score was one of the best on the Zambezi Tour at Chapman.
Saurombe said he was happy to be on top going into today’s second round of the 54-hole event.
“I am happy to have taken the lead and I hope to continue with the good form tomorrow (today) and see how it will end,” said Saurombe.
“I put in a lot of hard work and I think it is now paying off.
“I give credit to my driver and it helped me to shape up my game.”
He changed his clubs recently from Titleist to Taylormade and said this has been working for him.
“The course is playing well and I hope to maintain the good form and I am happy that some people still believe in me,” said Saurombe.
In second place was an eight-way-tie that includes three South Africans who managed a one-under-par 71.
Gary Thompson, playing his second professional tournament, was also in second place with Ignatius Mketekete, Nickson Masunga, Ryan Lang, Steven Ferreira and South Africans Simon Thabang, Thanda Mavundhla and John Bele all on 71.
The Goldern Pilsener Harare Open defending champion Dale Howie was on level par 72 together with Tongo Charamba and several others.
The event also saw the return of Ryan Cairns who has been battling a wrist injury for the past five months.
Cairns’ return saw him carding a seven-over-par 79 in the opening round.
The purse for this year’s event has been reduced from $25 000 to $20 000.
Several top amateurs are taking part and Pride Sembo and Visitor Mapwanya had decent rounds of 74.
Zambezi Tour director Michael Mahachi hailed the sponsors.
“We are happy as we have managed to attract some foreign flavour in the event with two players from East Africa.
“We have two professionals from Uganda who have joined the field and this shows that the Tour is growing,” said Mahachi.
Online Reporter