Story by Lawrence Trusida, Sports Editor
Preparations for the 2023 FBC Zimbabwe Open Golf Championship have reached an advanced stage, with the hosting of the Pro-AM tournament at Royal Harare Golf Club.
The golf tournament will tee off this Thursday and will run till the 7th of May at its traditional venue, the Royal Harare Gold Course after organisers dumped the dual courses which were used last year.
156 golfers are set to battle it out for the over R2 million price money.
However, the field will be cut after the first two rounds with only the top 60 golfers, making it to the final rounds of the championship.
Close to 20 local golfers have confirmed their participation at the upcoming championship and are bidding to join a stellar cast of three locals, who have won the tournament before.
Anderson Rusike who was an amateur at the time of his victory in 1984 was the first Zimbabwean to win the tournament before Nick Price and Mark McNulty later achieved the feat.
However, it’s been 23 years since a local golfer won the prestigious tournament, which is regarded as one of the top five championships in Africa and is part of the Sunshine tour.
Last year, the tournament was won by South African, Albert Venter capping off his country’s dominance of tournament which only south.
Africans have won the competition since the Zimbabwe Open was re-launched in 2010 including two titles by Jbe Kruger, who won it in 2010 and 2014.
The closest Zimbabwe have come to the title is recent years was a tenth placed finish by Tongoona Charamba in 2014.
