GOLFER Farayi Chitengwa claimed his maiden Zambezi Tour title with a one shot victory at the 2014 Open Classic at Chapman Golf Club yesterday.
BY DANIEL NHAKANISO
The Wingate Golf Club professional carded a final round one-under par 71 to finish on three-under par for the tournament, a shot clear of Borrowdale Brooke Golf Club’s Roy Da Costa.
Going onto the 18th hole, Chitengwa was on two-under -par for the tournament and tied for the lead with Da Costa who was already in the club house having shot a brilliant 69.
Under pressure to get a birdie on the final round, Chitengwa pushed his second into the greenside bunker but showed nerves of still to go up and down for birdie to win the event by a single shot.
After claiming his maiden professional win, Chitengwa dedicated the victory to his father Lewis Muridzo, a renowned Zimbabwean golf coach.
Chitengwa walked away with a trophy and US$2 000 prize money while runner up Da Costa walked away with US$1 300.
Robson Saurombe, playing on his home course started the final round in second position but could not mount a serious challenge yesterday after carding an even-par 72 to finish third on one-under-par.
Madalitso Muthiya, the top Zambian professional golfer finished in fourth position on level par 144 while Royal Harare Golf Club’s Davison Elijah settled for sixth position.
The Open Classic, which had a prize fund of US$10 000 was the first major professional golf tournament staged on the Zambezi Tour since the Sunshine Tour co-sanctioned Golden Pilsener Zimbabwe Open last April.
Meanwhile, the country’s leading amateur golfer Scott Vincent will rub shoulders with some of the finest rising stars when he tees off at the prestigious United States Amateur Championship tomorrow.
The 114th US Amateur Championship gets under way tomorrow at the Atlanta Athletic Club with a classy field of 312 players.
After two rounds of stroke play the top placed 64 players will move to match play phase, with the championship match set for next Sunday.
Vincent, a three-time winner at Virginia Tech University during the 2013/14 season will be one of the players to watch during the tournament after qualifying by virtue of being in the top 50 of the World Amateur Golf Ranking.
The Chapman Golf Club amateur heads into the tournament ranked an impressive 10th on the World Amateur Golf Rankings.
