From Lovemore Dube in HWANGE
SOUTH African golfer Musiwalo Nethunzwi and Bulawayo Golf Club’s Brian Gondo provided for the Hwange Charferfly Golf Open’s most enthralling moment when they settled matters with a play off in a tense finale yesterday evening.
Nethunzwi could have killed the contest in the 18th hole but fluffed his shot from less than a metre leading to the inevitable play off on the fifth tee. Gondo hit the bunker with his second shot with Nethunzwi winning with a birdie to take home US$3 000 in the Golden Pilsener tour. The South African had gone to the final day lying second behind Trainos Muradzikwa who had a miserable afternoon on the course.
The South African carded 74 in the first round on Friday, the tournament’s best score of 69 on Saturday before his 74 yesterday took his net score to 217. Gondo on the other end hit scores of 71, 73 and 73 for his 217.
Gondo pocketed US$1 950 for his efforts.
Another visiting golfer from South Africa Thanda Mavundla was third with scores of 74, 72 and 74 for a gross score of 220. His last day burst was enough to earn him US$1 500 as Ignatius Mketekete among the local favourites was fourth with 221 (76, 71, 74) tied with Gary Thompson (72, 75, 74) and Tongo Charamba (76, 73 and 72) to take home US$1 200 each.
Overnight leader Muradzikwa could only settle for 12th position and a purse of US$400 after carding a miserable 84 yesterday after his previous 71 on Friday and Saturday had promised him a fat cheque of US$3 000.
In the elite category of the Charferfly-sponsored amateur ranks, the form book did not count for anything as another overnight leader Pride Sembo could not maintain his form. He eventually finished second behind John Milazi whose net score for the three day event as 235. Sembo scored a gross of 83 to add to his 77,76 from the first two rounds for his 236.