Ten years on: Lewis Chitengwa remembered

death.
His father Lewis Muridzo, the resident pro at Wingate Park Golf Club, said the family has not forgotten the mark left by the talented golfer who died before he could realise his full potential.
Yesterday, Muridzo said the family was planning to hold a Lewis Chitengwa Memorial Golf Tournament that could attract both local and international players.
“It’s now 10 years since our son died and we have to move on.
“The memories are still there but we have to show the other up-and-coming golfers that they can also reach the same heights scaled by Lewis.
“Unfortunately Lewis died but we are planning to have something for the legacy he created,” said Muridzo.
Chitengwa made history when he beat Tiger Woods in 1992 to win the Orange Bowl in Florida, United States, when they were still amateurs.
Between 1992 to 1994, Chitengwa was the top amateur in Zimbabwe and in 1993 he won the South African Amateur Championship.
In 1995 Chitengwa was a top player at the Inter-collegiate competitions and he was the first black Zimbabwean to play in the Buy.Com Tour finishing 100th.
Chitengwa went to the University of Virginia and shot a record 67 that has since been adopted as an emblem at the college.
He also competed in the 1996 Greater Vancouver Open and the 1999 St. Jude Classic on the PGA Tour.
Chitengwa had two top-10 finishes on the Canadian Tour in 2001 before his death.
“The message we are putting across is that if Lewis could do it, one of the youngsters can also do it.
“Now the memorial tournament is something on the cards and we could reproduce some memorabilia for sale.
“There are T-shirts that could be on sale and his bag with all the clubs is still in Canada.
“In Canada, they still hold the Lewis Chitengwa Memorial and I used to go there and participate.
“Now we want to hold something locally for him and I am sure most of the people who play in the Canada Memorial could be invited to come.
“Even his sisters can also play,” said Muridzo.
Muridzo believes companies could be lured to give part of the proceeds to junior golf development.
“For now we are waiting to see how the proposed Tim Price Memorial will go.
“The Tim Price Memorial will serve as an eye opener for us.
“It’s our hope that part of the proceeds should be channeled for the golf development like the programmes run by (Tevanganiswa) Mabikacheche,” said Muridzo.