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Takudzwa Chitsiga
Sports Reporter
FORMER Zimbabwe Professional Golfers Association president, Akil Yousuf, is leading a contingent of locals who are taking part in the Sunshine Seniors Tour at the Kyalami Country Club in Johannesburg, South Africa.
The 2022 Fidelity Pro-Ams has the Zimbabwean trio of Yousuf, Davison Elijah and Roy da Costa who are part of the field whose cut will be made this afternoon. Fedelity Pro-Am has a prize fund of R125 000.
The Country Club-based Yousuf was the first to tee off from the 10th hole yesterday and was partnered by female amateur golfer, Ravi Rampath.
Da Costa was next off the same tee box at 11:28am with Zimbabwe-based Portuguese partner Steven Ferreira while Elijah started from the first tee with partner Robin Mungawazi at 12:49pm.
The Zimbabwean trio joins other senior tour professionals who include Dave Riddle, Paul van Biljon and Teddy Matebula.
Before the tournament, Yousuf told our sister paper, the Sunday News, that he was confident of having a good tournament.
“This is the first time we are having a tournament at Kyalami Country Club, but I am playing pretty decent golf so I am hopeful that I will play well. I’ve put in the hard yards so I’m hoping it will pay off.
“There are always areas that can be improved. I think the biggest challenge is staying calm and focused on the course,” said Yousuf. The Fidelity event is a 36-hole stroke play tournament for SA Senior Tour member professionals who are 50 years of age or older as of March 1 2022, with 18 holes being played on each of the two days of the event. It is a Sunshine Senior Tour-branded Order of Merit tournament.
The field size will be limited to a maximum of 50 professionals and 50 amateurs with all qualified professionals playing off the same teeing ground and course set-up on the respective competition days.
Several local professionals, who are not having game-time back home, are considering playing in the seniors’ tour.
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