Zimpapers Logo

Takudzwa Chitsiga-Sports Reporter

ZIMBABWE’S only representative at the annual Joburg Open, Ben Follet-Smith, had a decent first round at the Randpak Golf Club, in South Africa, yesterday. 

The Joburg Open is the first tournament on the newly-named DP World Tour, formerly the European Tour. 

South Africa is one of 27 different countries the global Tour will visit over the next 12 months. DP World and the European Tour group earlier this month announced a ground-breaking evolution, to their long-term partnership. 

DP World are now the new title sponsors of the group’s main tour. 

Follet-Smith, who took part in the same event together with Scott Vincent last year, had an opening round of one-under-par. 

The Zimbabwean is tied on position 32nd, going into today’s qualifying round, of the R17 500 000 tournament. 

The Joburg Open will be played across three courses, as usual and, for Follet-Smith to navigate his way until Sunday, he will have to do well. 

The two main active courses are the Firethorn Course, previously known as the Randpark Course, which is a true test of championship golf, capable of stretching over 7000m, of its back tees. 

Bushwillow Course, formerly known as Windsor Park, was founded in the ‘40s, during World War II, as a 12-hole layout, at the start. 

In 1948, it was extended to a full 18-hole course, and shortly after (1952), it underwent a complete redesign, by famous course designer Robert Grimsdell.