Zimpapers Logo

Takudzwa Chitsiga Sports Reporter
ZIMBABWE’S Mark Williams cruised to a two-stroke victory in the R750 000 Vodacom Origins of Golf Final at St Francis Links in Port Elizabeth, South Africa, on Saturday.

Williams (pictured) closed with a double-bogey after hitting his tee shot into the water on 18. He had built up a four-stroke cushion over runner-up Christiaan Bezuidenhout, winning his maiden Sunshine Tour title after 14 years on the circuit.

He carded a two-under 70 for an 11-under-par total of 205 to pocket R118 875 as another Zimbabwean Ryan Cairns also made the cut and finished on position nine.

Cairns was tied with South Africa’s Dough McGuigan on three-under overall and they pocketed R17 625 each.

Speaking to Sunshine Tour after the tournament Williams refused to blame his two iron for the hole-number-18 struggle.

“That two-iron worked for 53 holes, so I can’t blame it for one shot,” said Williams.

“And I think I missed just one green after making bogey on the second, so everything was under control, really.”

Last year’s penalty shot came when his ball moved on the second fairway and it cost him a chance of contesting a play-off with the eventual winner Christiaan Basson.

“It’s great to come back here and to win my first title,” said Williams.

That near miss was one of many over the last two years for the big Zimbabwean and the victory has underlined the skills of a man who has looked a potential champion for a long time now.

“It’s been a long time coming,” he admitted.

“It’s nice to finally get it under the belt. The belief has been there for the last 18 months. I’ll take the win, even with the shaky finish.”

It wasn’t that confident a start, either. He bogeyed the second, but he quickly made up for that with a chip-in eagle three on the third.

But after that, he settled into his work and birdies on six, eight and 14 eased him clear of Bezuidenhout, who played solidly throughout, but was unable to produce any sustained pressure on Williams.

Keith Horne, Madalitso Muthiya of Zambia and Jacques Blaauw shared third place at six-under-par 210, with Nigerian Andrew Odoh on five-under in sixth place.

For Williams, the victory was about opening doors in the future rather than getting a monkey off his back.

“Getting into the winner’s category on the Sunshine Tour makes a big difference in terms of tournaments I can get into,” he said. “And I hope I can be in there more often now.”

Meanwhile, despite setting the 2016 Hwange Open Golf tournament dates, the professional golfers are yet to receive their 2015 cash prizes.

Last year the event was sponsored to the tune of $15 000 and will be held on November 12 and 13.

The Zimbabwe Golf Association development officer Boniface Chigorimbo has confirmed the dates.

Last year, the event was won by current Zimbabwe Professional Golfers tour president Gary Thompson who rallied to win his maiden professional title on the Zambezi Tour after he toppled Stephen Ferreira with an impressive final round performance to earn a two shot victory.

Thompson entered the day three shots off Ferreira’s lead, but a solid 70 saw him finish with a four under-par 212 total for his first big win on the Zambezi Tour for which he is now owed $3 000.

The 48-year-old Harare business executive finished two shots clear of Ferreira and Mutare-based amateur Robson Chinhoi, who signed for rounds of 75 and 72 respectively.