Team Zimbabwe leaves for WATC

ZIMBABWE’S leading amateur golfers are set to participate in the 2023 World Amateur Team Championship (WATC) at the National Course, Abu Dhabi Golf Club in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) from October 18 to 21.

The team comprises Tafadzwa Nyamukondiwa (replaced Michael Wallace), David Amm, and Keagan Shutt. Nyamukondiwa will join the team in UAE from the United States of America (USA) where he is based, and the entire team will be together on Sunday.

Shutt arrived in the country yesterday ahead of today’s departure to the Middle East.

In an interview with Saturday Chronicle, Zimbabwe Golf Association (ZGA) president Martin Chikwana said they decided to travel a few days earlier to acclimatise with the conditions in the UAE and get a feel of the course before the tournament tees off. In the past, arriving a day before the tournament affected their performance as they had little knowledge of the course they would be playing on. This time, they are doing things differently to get the best possible results.

“The guys are preparing well. Keagan is arriving today (yesterday) and we leave on Saturday. The coach, Simon (Murungweni) has been working with David Amm on this side and he actually finished fifth in the Zimbabwe Professional Golfer Association Championship, which was a good preparatory match.

“We learnt from previous tournaments where players failed to acclimatise, therefore, it is critically important for us to go days before the start of the tournament. We will get two days of preparation before the tournament tees off on Wednesday. We have been checking the temperatures that side so we are preparing well in terms of staying hydrated and adjusting to the climate.

“We arrive on Sunday, which will be our rest day and on Monday and Tuesday we will take time to walk the course and practice and do all the preparatory procedures and hopefully, it will be helpful to the players,” said Chikwana.

The WATC brings together the best amateur golfers from around the world who have aspirations of collegiate golf or turning professionals. The three Zimbabwean players come in with a lot of experience with Nyamukondiwa and the in-form Amm having played together before during the 2017 All-Africa Games. Their maturity and experience at big stages will go a long way in helping the team perform better at the tournament as they have a strong team.

This is the second time in a row that Zimbabwe qualifies for the prestigious tournament in the post-Covid-19 era. Chikwana is confident the team will play well against some of the best in the world and also will have an opportunity to showcase their skill.

“It’s golf, we are playing against some of the best in the world but who says our players are not good enough. We have a good team, a seasoned group so it’s all about managing the pressure and being able to settle down. Expect good things from them, hopefully we can punch above our weight,” said Chikwana.

The upcoming tournament will also provide the Zimbabwean players with exposure before they turn pro by having the opportunity to shine against their peers. It will also be an opportunity to make a name for themselves at the biggest stage as the best players in the world have previously competed in WATC.

Some of the most recognised names in the game who, in the past took part in the competition are Tiger Woods, Rory Mcllroy, Nick Price and Jack Nicklaus among others.

Zimbabwe will be one of the 72 nations that will compete for the top honours in the Eisenhower Trophy. The championships will be held in the Middle East for the first time since their inauguration in 1958 and this year’s edition will mark the 33rd men’s championship for the Eisenhower Trophy.

Each team competing in the tournament will have three players and play 18-holes of stroke play for four days. In each round, the total of the two best scores from each team constitutes the team score for the round. The four-day (72 hole) total is the team’s score for the championship.

Zimbabwe’s amateur players are at the peak of their careers at the moment and are also setting their eyes on qualifying for the next edition which will be held in Singapore in 2025. — @brandon_malvin