Online Reporter
Takudzwa Chitsiga, [email protected]
AFTER getting involved in a near-fatal accident on the final day of last year’s FBC Zimbabwe Open Golf Championships, Tonderai Masunga is confident of doing well at this year’s tournament, which tees off this morning at Royal Harare.
Masunga was part of five players who had a mishap that claimed the life of Morton Kombayi after last year’s event.
The Zimbabwean professional golfer is part of the field that will be looking forward to doing well at this year’s edition of the Premier Golf tournament.
“I am well and looking forward to do well at this year’s tournament as I have been practising hard. The conditions are good and I have been playing some good golf of late.
“The course is in best condition and as you know golf is my life I look forward to the challenge. There is everything to play for and after making the cut last year, my confidence is high and I am happy that I have all the support from friends. I will also have some support from Yollanda Mubaiwa who will be on the bag and I will rely on her golf expertise,” said Masunga.
The former Wingate-based professional is not the only local looking forward to the tournament as seasoned campaigner Ignatius Mketekete also believes he has what it takes to make a mark at this year’s edition. The former Roland Park player is hopeful that there will be more locals on top of the leader board as they had some decent game-time on the local circuit.
“I think in terms of preparations we had some decent game time and that helped us a bit. The guys are hungry for success and I look forward to the tournament.
“I have been preparing for this tournament like everyone else and it is my hope that I play well in the two qualifying rounds and make the cut.
“I am also grateful to the local organising committee who have managed to put up the tournament. The course is playing well and I look forward to a fine week,” said Mketekete.
Zimbabwe Professional Golfers Association president Arkil Yousuf has rallied the local contingent to do well and says it’s high time we have one of our own on the podium.
“I still have faith that we have some great golfing talent in this country and we look forward to the week ahead. We will definitely have some of our players up the leaderboard,’ said Yousuf.
Zimbabwe will bank on Kieran Vincent who has been doing well in the Sunshine and Asian Tours.
The top Zimbabwean professional golfer missed last year’s edition as he was on the European Tour and will today tee off alongside Herman Lobster and Jaco Ahlers at 7AM.
He will be ahead of another Zimbabwean prospect Robson Chinhoi who will get in the course at 7:10am along with former champion Louis Albertse and Graham van der Marwe.
On the international scene high profile players like Brazilian Adilson Da Silva are expected to get a strong following considering his relationship with Royal Harare.
Da Silva has a very rich history with Royal Harare after his brief stay at the course which he views as his second home.
Also in the mix will be veteran South Africans Lyle Rowe, Neil Shietekat, Albert Venter and Jean Hugo who are all former Zimbabwe Open champions.
For Rowe and Schietekat they will play in the same screw at 11:30am and they will have Zimbabwe’s Stuart Krog in the same ball.
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