It’s a chilly Thursday morning at Royal Harare Golf Club and veteran Zimbabwean professional Julius Kamalizeni, carrying a large golf bag full of clubs, is frantic to begin his training session by 8:30am.
By Munyaradzi Madzokere
Only eight minutes to spare, but he also has to attend to this journalist before getting down to real business.
Kamalizeni has been involved in local golf for over 30 years and 12 of them as a professional.
Without a rich background, he struggled for finances until internet solutions provider Dandemutande came to his rescue and now he can focus on the game.
Currently, he is preparing for the inaugural Malawi Professional Golfers’ Association Warm Heart tournament slated for November 21 to 24.
“I am preparing for the Malawi Open to be held later this year. I am glad I have a sponsor now who has been looking after my golf expenses for the past five years. I am proudly sponsored by Dandemutande and I am very grateful to them because it is not easy to be a professional without a sponsor,” the 44-year-old told Standardsport.
Apart from Kamalizeni, there are several Zimbabwean golfers who are going to take part in the event, including Tongoona Charamba, Ryan Cairns, Pride Sembo, Nyasha Muyambo, Robson Chinhoyi and Tonderayi Masunga, among others.
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With no major professional trophy to brag about, Kamalizeni is hoping to break the duck or at least finish in the top 10.
“As professionals, we all want to win so that is my target. But when you go out there in a big tournament you also want to finish in the money. I would want to go there and give a good account of myself and finish in the top 10,” said the Borrowdale Brooke Golf Club golfer.
Born and bred in Harare, Kamalizeni’s golf journey began in the mid-1980s when legendary coach Lewis Muridzo (snr) became manager at Wingate Golf Club.
“He [Muridzo] introduced me to golf which I already had a passion for since my father worked at the club. He facilitated my membership there and I was officially a member in 1985,” he said.
“I have faced challenges in golf, but I don’t regret the decision to play golf because it gave me the opportunity to represent my country at some point as well as give back to the golf community.”
Kamalizeni represented Zimbabwe at the World Amateur Championships held in South Africa in 2006 where he hit his first hole-in-one in his golf career finishing the first round ahead of former world number one Rory McIlroy.
The golfer was also instrumental in the development of some of the top female golfers like Yolanda Mubaiwa and Batsirai Tilowakuti, working with the Zimbabwe Ladies’ Golf Union in Hatcliffe.
His wish is to see big companies coming in to sponsor golf tournaments so that local professionals can earn a living from the sport.
