By Beatific Gumbwanda
TRIANGLE-Zimbabwe Golfers Association (ZGA) has lamented the lack of competitive tournaments and called upon corporates to continue supporting the golfing fraternity by sponsoring more tournaments to enable golfers to have more experience and sharpen their skills ahead of international competitions.
Zimbabwe’s sole sugarcane producer Tongaat Huletts Zimbabwe (THZ) recently held the Lowveld Pro-Am tournament at its state-of-the-art golf courses in Hippo Valley and Triangle respectively, one of the biggest events held outside the capital, where professional and amateur golfers exhibited their talent, sharpening their skills ahead of the Zimbabwe Open Tournament to be held in two months.
Speaking during the event in Triangle, Zimbabwe Golfers Association (ZGA) President, Martin Chikwana thanked the former ZGA president and outgoing THZ Managing Director, Aiden Mhere for reviving the Lowveld Pro-Am and urged corporates to continue supporting the golfing fraternity by sponsoring more competitions.
“I would like to thank the former ZGA President, Aiden Mhere who played a huge role in this second biggest event outside the capital.
“This event also affords our professionals a chance to sharpen their skills in preparation for the Zimbabwe Open Tournament coming in two months. This has been the battle cry for our professionals that they need more competitions of high intensity. We pray that more like-minded corporates continue supporting this important part of the golfing fraternity, “said Chikwana.
Zimbabwe’s Professional golfer, David Amm who walked away with a US$ 10,000 price for being the overall winner said the golfing fraternity was still lagging behind due to a lack of more competitive tournaments.
“To us professional golfers, this is our profession, it’s our job and these events allow us to go out and showcase our talents. The more tournaments we have, the better.
“If you just look at other big tours, they have almost 40 tournaments a year and I think we only have 4 or maybe 5 tournaments annually and it’s challenging. Every time we get an opportunity like this, it means a lot to everyone,” said Amm.
Head of Corporate Affairs at THZ, Dr Dahlia Garwe said it was a precious moment for the corporation to revive the Lowveld Pro-Am tournament as a way to give space for the amateur as well as fundraise towards the underprivileged, especially on the medical side.
“This is an exciting moment for us as we are reviving the Lowveld Pro-Am tournament to raise funds, especially for the underprivileged in our society, in particularly the medical side of things.
“We want to upgrade clinics in our area and this is, in my opinion, a very good start. We also want the young golfers to become involved not just making golf an elite thing, “said Dr Garwe.
Corporates like ZB Bank, Ecocash, Econet, ETG, Nyaradzo Funeral Services, Natpak, First Mutual, Old Mutual and Delta sponsored the tournament.
