BUDDING golfers Listiah Bangura and Nathaniel Zidya announced themselves as two of Zimbabwe’s brightest junior talents after emerging victorious at the inaugural President’s Cup Junior Championship, which concluded at the Police Golf Club in Harare yesterday.
The two-day tournament, which teed off on Friday and attracted more than 100 young golfers, provided a platform for Zimbabwe’s emerging talent to showcase their skills, with Bangura and Zidya producing the standout performances to claim the overall girls’ and boys’ titles respectively.
Bangura, who finished runner-up in the ladies section of the recently concluded Zimbabwe Amateur Championship, went one better this time around, firing rounds of 89 and 84 for a gross total of 173.
Her performance saw her walk away with two trophies — the girls’ 15-18 age-group title and the overall girls’ championship.
The promising golfer admitted that the tournament had not originally been part of her plans, but said she was delighted with the opportunity and the experience it provided.
“I am really proud of myself to have won this tournament because playing this tournament was not on my to-do list. It just came along and it was actually a good experience to play in this tournament so I am very happy,” Bangura said.
She, however, revealed that putting proved to be a major challenge as she negotiated an unfamiliar course.
“I faced a lot of challenges with my putting because this is a different course I am not used to. The corners and the greens I am not used to them so it was hard to grasp,” she said.
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Bangura also paid tribute to the sponsors and organisers for investing in junior golf.
“I would also like to thank the sponsors and the organisers of this tournament. It's a very good tournament for us young golfers.”
Zidya, meanwhile, continued his remarkable run of form after another impressive showing at the Zimbabwe Amateur Championship, where the 14-year-old finished fourth after leading the tournament during the opening two rounds.
The youngster maintained his momentum at Police Golf Club, carding an impressive 75 in the opening round before improving to 72 in the second round to finish on 147 gross.
His total was enough to give him the overall boys’ championship, edging Cristiano Rose of Kadoma by two shots.
Rose was not empty-handed, however, claiming the boys’ 15-18 age-group title, while Zidya also secured the 11-14 boys’ category trophy to cap another memorable tournament.
The President’s Cup Junior Championship is the junior version of the President’s Cup Pro-Am, which was held at Bulawayo Country Club on April 17 this year.
The inaugural junior edition represents another important step in efforts to broaden the base of golf in Zimbabwe and create competitive opportunities for young players from different backgrounds.
The tournament was attended by Zimbabwe Golf Association president Blessmore Gandawa, Zimbabwe Junior Golf Association president Adley Chatora and Sports and Recreation Commission commissioner Valentine Mudenda, among other officials.
Representing Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture minister, Anselem Sanyatwe, Chief Director for Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture, Eugenia Chidhakwa said the government welcomed initiatives aimed at strengthening junior development.
“The Ministry of Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture is happy to be gracing such a beautiful tournament, an inaugural tournament which indeed is setting the foundation of golf in Zimbabwe,” Chidhakwa said..
“We are happy that as Golf Association, you saw it prudent that junior development is the key. We can only develop our golf if we go to the communities.”
She praised the young golfers who had travelled from different communities, specifically highlighting participants from Zengeza and Tafara.
“Congratulations to every young golfer who teed off this week. You showed true grit, focus, and passion on the course,” Chidhakwa said.
“We'd like to acknowledge this tournament because, as it is happening, we know that there is a gap that we are closing.
“We also thank you, the organisers, for coming up with such a tournament. And the generous sponsors, we thank you for seeing the need and closing the gap.”
She said government was committed to working with the organisers to ensure the competition grows into a major fixture on the junior golf calendar.
“And we rest assure you that we will work together to make sure that this junior tournament becomes a landmark victory in Zimbabwe,” she added.
She also paid tribute to parents for the sacrifices they make to support their children's sporting ambitions.
“A special thank you goes to the parents for the early mornings, the drives, the support, we thank you, parents,” Chidhakwa said.
“Because you believe in your children first before we believe in them. And it is that belief that then builds somebody to be a pro in golf.”
She welcomed plans to take golf into disadvantaged communities, saying sport should not be viewed as the preserve of the privileged.
“We want you to keep on making golf a vehicle for social change in the community. I'm happy that there's been a promise to take golf to the disadvantaged areas,” she said.
“As the Ministry of Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture, we want to remove the notion that there is the so-called elite sport. Sport is a basic human right and should be accessible to each and every person.
“And hence, we want to make sure that even our children in the rural areas also have access to this wonderful game.”
For sponsors Zambezi Gas & Coal Mine, the investment in junior golf is part of a broader commitment to giving back to Zimbabwe and supporting the development of local talent.
Company official Matthew Raradza said the decision to support the tournament was rooted in the company's own origins as an indigenous Zimbabwean enterprise.
“Zambezi Gas is the first indigenously owned coal mine in Zimbabwe. We were born out of the government vision of empowering locals,” Raradza said.
“We were given an opportunity, we were given a grant in Hwange and we worked on it and with the support from government we managed to grow Zambezi Gas into one of Zimbabwe's biggest coal mines.”
He said the company believed it had a responsibility to contribute to the country's development.
“And coming from that aspect we realised that we owe a lot to Zimbabwe and we desire to give back to the nation that has built us into the brand that we are,” Raradza said.
“So, one of the ways that we've decided to work and also put our hand to developing the Zimbabwean brand across the world is in junior golf development.”
With more than 100 juniors taking part in the inaugural edition, the President’s Cup Junior Championship has already established a strong foundation, while the emergence of Bangura and Zidya as its first overall champions adds an exciting dimension to Zimbabwe's junior golf story.
