Zimbabwe ladies prepare for three-nation golf tournament

THE Zimbabwe Ladies Golf Union (ZLGU) has named their squad for the 2023 Gilberson and Page Challenge tournament which is scheduled to take place next month in Harare.

A total of seven players made the Zimbabwean team and the tournament will be played on July 8-13 at Chapman Golf Club and Royal Harare Golf Club. The Zimbabwean ladies team will be looking at using the home conditions to defend the title.

The tournament is a three-nation championship, with the other two nations being Kenya and Zambia. All teams are allowed three reserves.

ZLGU President, Margaret Vera said the team has been preparing well for the tournament after completing another event which provided competition to the players.

She added that they are still looking for sponsorship from the corporate world and are grateful to those who have come on board.

“The preparations are going on very well. This past weekend we completed the Harare Provincial Stroke play a 54 hole – World Amateur Golf Ranking competition that provided both training and competition for the players.

“Practise rounds at both courses under the supervision of the team manager – Mrs Thokozile Sibanda, are underway. We continue to look for sponsorship and are grateful for the positive responses received from corporates who see our vision and support it,” said Vera.

The format of the Championship is ‘Matchplay’, with foursomes in the morning and singles in the afternoon. The Championship is played over two days on two different courses; Chapman Golf Club (10 July) and Royal Harare Golf Club (12th July).

Gilberson and Page tournament is played every year with the participating countries taking turns to host the tournament.

Vera said hosting the tournament will play a crucial role in the growth of women’s golf in the country. She added that it also provides them the opportunity to compete against some of the finest female golfers on the continent.

“The Championship is very important and plays a significant role in the growth of ladies golf in Zimbabwe. For the past 20 years the union has been pursuing a junior golf development programme to ensure the survival of women’s golf and improve the level of competitive golf in Zimbabwe.

“The Championship provides us with the opportunity to field our top golfers and this year we are very excited because Team Zimbabwe will include players who have graduated from the junior development programme. It is an opportunity for us to compete with the top golfers from Kenya and Zambia which are big golfing nations,” she said.

Vera added that it is always a great privilege and an honour to represent one’s country at the highest level of the sport and the young ladies were well aware of this. In 2019 Zimbabwe won the trophy in Kenya after a 13 year drought and now will be looking at retaining it on home soil.

Zimbabwe team for Gilberson and Page Championship

Yollander Mubaiwa (Captain), Wadzanai Kwaririma, Margret Nyamukondiwa, Kudzai Mandava, Primross Chikwaya, Rumbidzai Chisango, Tracy Humbira.

Team Manager – Thokozile Sibanda. – @brandon_malvin