adminSenior Sports Reporter
ZIMBABWE’S number three Rob Saurombe has extended his begging bowl to the corporate community as the clock ticks towards the 2015 edition of the Joburg Open qualifier and Di Data golf competitions in South Africa.On February 17, the reigning Harare Open champion is set to take part in the Joburg Open competition in Johannesburg, south of the Limpopo, before partaking in the Dimension data contest in Durban slated for next month-end. He is also set to take part in the Telcom PGA in the same country in March.
However, the talented golfer is battling to secure a sponsorship deal that will enable him to meet the travelling, food, beverages, accommodation, apparel, competition and caddy fees. He said he is on the peak of his career and hopes to make the most out of his form if he gets the requisite financial backing.
“My budget for the full season on the Sunshine Tour is around US$15 000 for the year. The sponsorship can be a business transaction.
“I have the ability to excel if I get financial backing. I am really looking forward to playing on Tour if I get assistance. I feel that this is the prime time for my career.
“For the Joburg Open qualifier, I need about US$1 200 and I need about US$1 800 for the Dimension Data tournament. It is the distance that also makes it more expensive.
“For me to take part in the Telcom PGA tournament, I require about US$1 200. This is why I am calling on all potential sponsors to come and assist in this hour of need,” said Saurombe.
Golf appears to be an expensive sport to pursue so financial support has always played an important role, especially in Zimbabwe where funding from big companies and Government is hard to come by.
A significant number of Zimbabwe’s majority black population has taken a liking to golf in recent years but the lack of financial resources remains a hurdle in the way to progress.
Black prop Rob Saurombe, a product of renowned Zimbabwean development coach Roger Bayliss, now trains several budding golfers at a centre in Harare which is run by Bayliss and his son.
“A lot of parents are bringing their kids as young as four and that’s very encouraging. But a lot of those don’t have the resources.
“Their parents aren’t rich and they can only do so much. I can teach them the skills but financially I’m not stable myself to help them.
“It really isn’t an expensive sport. It’s just the state of our country and the economy. A lot of our junior golfers have come through the system.
“The Zimbabwe Golfers Association also has a development fund for kids around the country,” Saurombe told the local media recently.
Online Reporter