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Brandon Moyo-Sports Reporter

YOUNG amateur golfer, Tanaka Chatora, was crowned champion of the 2023 Roland Park Open Golf Championships held at Roland Park Golf Club in Zvishavane at the weekend. 

Chatora, carded an impressive handicap of +1 and a gross score of 211 while second-placed William Geach had a handicap of +4 and a total gross of 212 after their three rounds. 

A total of 62 golfers took to the greens during the tournament which was played across two days over the weekend, coming to a close on Sunday. 

Munashe Ndaruza won last year’s edition of the annual championship. The competition was played across 54 holes, 36 on Saturday and 18 on the final day on Sunday.

The 16-year-old Chatora, who has shown immense potential on the course shot an impressive five birdies on the first round for a brilliant round score of 67 and followed it up with yet another good round.

In the second round, the youngster once again showed intent, shooting four birdies for a round score of 68. It was, however, not a good closure to the tournament as Chatora shot four bogeys in the third and final round for a score of 76 to round up his campaign. 

It was, however, not an easy task for Chatora as Geach was right behind him throughout the proceedings. In a similar fashion like the eventual leader, Geach managed to play his best golf during the first two rounds while having an unimpressive final round.

In his first round, Geach shot three birdies for a score of 69 and followed it up with two birdies in the second round where he carded a score of 70. It was in the third round where he did not play his best, making a bogey after 73 shots.

Chatora is not new to high pressure situations having represented Zimbabwe at the 2023 edition of the Africa Region 5 Amateur Golf Challenge which was held in Lilongwe, Malawi in May.

The upcoming golfer made the Zimbabwean team alongside Panashe Mukumba (24), Tariro November (19) and Michael Wallace (18).

 In third place at the 2023 Roland Park Open was Innocent Mukumba who had a handicap of 2 and a gross total of 220.

Mukamba had round scores of 77, 73 and 70.

Hosted by the Midlands Province Golf Union (MPGU), the association’s President, Alecs Mawere said this year’s edition was more organised and they managed to add flair by allowing women to participate though not in the championship division.

One woman, Stella Fieldman managed to complete the 54 holes.

Mawere added that such a tournament plays a huge role in the growth of the sport in the country and apart from that, it also is crucial in the development of communities as it brings different people together which helps in celebrating diversity.

“The Tournament is one of the critical cogs in our desire to revamp Golf and make it accessible to everyone who is willing and committed. This is one of our flagships which we strive to sustain chiefly because of the promise it holds of turning the Amateurs into Professional Golfers.  By investing our efforts and time into this tournament which I feel is a game-changer in Golf, we are presenting another character of our sport by being inclusive and forward looking.  I always reiterate that golf is more than a sport because of its socio-cultural and economic character.

“It holds the promise for employment creation which is a departure from the historical negative perceptions society used to hold, further, it brings people from all walks of life thereby enhancing the celebration of our diversity. In short, if well utilised it’s a special glue that fosters community cohesion, provides an avenue or platform for the propagation of common thinking and common values.

“Even the national economic blueprint, the National Development Strategy 1 is premised on a key underpinning of ‘leaving no one behind and no place behind’, and as a MPGU we are scoring high in that regard,” he said.