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ZIMBABWE junior golf sensation Keegan Shutt has been named Player of the Year for the second successive season at KeNako Golf Academy in George, South Africa, after yet another memorable season locally and on the international scene.

KeNako Golf Academy held their annual Academy Awards on Wednesday to reward students for their hard work during the past year.

Sixteen-year-old Shutt was the biggest winner of the day, walking away with the best overall player of the year.

Shutt started the year on a positive note by putting on some solid performances against some of South Africa’s top amateurs before representing Zimbabwe at the All-Africa Junior Golf Championship in Egypt. The Chapman Golf Club product would then go on an impressive run in which he won five golf titles in just over five weeks.

He first won the Harare Amateur Golf Championship that was played at the Royal Harare Golf Club in the capital city in April. His 293 total consisted of a first-round 77, followed by three wonderful level par rounds. Shutt won the tournament by four shots. He then proceeded to win three additional tournaments.

In the Nomads Under-23 golf tournament at Harry Allen Golf Club in Bulawayo, his 148 total secured him a first place.

The following day he competed in the Matebeleland Open at Bulawayo Country Club. His 147 total consisted of two good rounds; 75 and level par 72, to secure him yet another victory.

On Wednesday 13 April, Shutt scored 144 with two beautiful rounds of 73 and 71 to walk away as the champion of the Lion Stores Junior Challenge.

After five successive wins, Shutt went on to finish as the leading amateur in the field in the Sunshine Tour’s FBC Zim Open that took place on May 19, after carding scores of 71, 75, 76 and 71.

The gifted junior golfer went on another winning run as he claimed the Midlands Amateur Championship and the Zimbabwe Amateur Championship before finishing in a tie for 12th place at the 2022 R&A Junior Open which was played at the Monifieth Links in Angus, Scotland.

Despite his tender age Shutt was able to rub shoulders with the world’s leading amateurs at the Eisenhower Trophy which was played in France before rounding off the season with a fifth-place finish at the All-Africa Amateur Golf Team Championship.

Shutt attributes the success he has enjoyed this season to the knowledge he has gamed from his coaches at Kenako Golf Academy, Roger Weasels and Carlo Kok. — ZimSportLive