Sunshine Tour victory open doors for Chinhoi

ON Sunday, Zimbabwean professional golfer Robson Chinhoi made history after winning the 2023 Zanaco Masters Championship that was held at Lusaka Golf Club and his victory was one for the ages as it opened doors for him.

Bagging his maiden Sunshine Tour victory in his 11th start, Chinhoi, who has been on a steady movement, has earned his Sunshine Tour card. The victory put him in the Sunshine Tour winners’ category which offers him more playing opportunities.

Chinhoi will now be able to play in all Sunshine Tour events without having to go through the qualifiers for the next two years.

This also comes with the opportunity to take part in tournaments co-sanctioned by the DP World Tour in South Africa.

The 32-year-old Zimbabwean national who has been in fine form in Safari Tours prior to his big win on Sunday has also moved up the world rankings.

Before the Zanaco Masters, Chinhoi was ranked in position 2 615 and after his victory he rose 1 268 places to number 1 347.

He became the fourth highest ranked Zimbabwean after Scott Vincent (125), Kieran Vincent (425) and Benjamin Follet-Smith (703).

Chinhoi is now the second black Zimbabwean to win a Sunshine Tour after Tongoona “TC” Charamba who bagged the accolade in 2006. He also became the first indigenous black man to win a Sunshine Tour sanctioned tournament in Zambia.

He won the flagship event following a play-off against South Africa’s Neil Schietekat. The two golfers ended their four-rounds tied on 17-under-par 271 before Chinhoi went on to shoot a five-foot putt for a birdie to claim the title while Schietekat made level par.

In the first round of the championship, Chinhoi made six birdies for a round score of 66 and followed the impressive start with five birdies with a second round score of 67 shots.

In the third round, it wasn’t his best outing in the middle as he made two bogeys in the front nine before coming back in the back nine to shoot four birdies and finish with a round score of 70.

Going into the fourth and final round leading by two shots, Chinhoi shot two birdies in the front nine.

In the back nine, he shot three birdies and dropped one bogey in the 17th hole which saw him finish with a round score of 68, leading to a tie with the experienced Schietekat who had a fourth-round score of 66 after shooting seven birdies and dropping one bogey, leading to a playoff which Chinhoi shot one under while his competitor was on level par.

Schietekat was chasing his second consecutive Sunshine Tour victory after he won the FBC Zimbabwe Open that was held at Royal Harare Golf Club three weeks back.

Chinhoi’s massive victory is a great result not just for him, but for Zimbabwean Golf at large. This was also his first internationally recognised victory.
– @brandon_malvin