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Brandon Moyo, [email protected]

ZIMBABWE professional golfer, Robson Chinhoi made history after winning the 2023 Zanaco Masters Championship that was held at Lusaka Golf Club in Zambia following a play-off against South Africa’s Neil Schietekat.

The victory on Sunday was Chinhoi’s maiden Sunshine Tour win and his first internationally recognised title. In the process he became the second black Zimbabwean to win a Sunshine Tour after Tongoona “TC” Charamba who bagged the accolade in 2006.

Chonoi also became the first indigenous black man to win a Sunshine Tour sanctioned tournament in Zambia.
Chinhoi and Schietekat went to the playoffs after a tie in the four rounds.

The two golfers ended their four-round tied on 17-under-par 271 before Chinhoi went on to shoot a five-foot putt for a birdie to claim the title while Schietekat made level par.

In the first round of the championship, the 32 year old Chinhoi who was playing in his 11th Sunshine Tour start, made six birdies for a round score of 66 and followed the impressive start with five birdies with a second round score of 67 shots.

In the third round, it wasn’t his best outing in the middle as he made two bogeys in the front nine before coming back in the back nine to shoot four birdies and finish with a round score of 70.

Going into the fourth and final round a two shots lead over Schietekat, Chinhoi shot two birdies in the front nine. In the back nine, he shot three birdies and dropped one bogey in the 17th hole which saw him finish with a round score of 68, leading to a tie with the experienced Schietekat who had a fourth-round score of 66 after shooting seven birdies and dropping one bogey, leading to a playoff which Chinhoi shot one under while his competitor was on level par.

“I am just so grateful. I thank God for this victory because it puts my name on the map. This win will be life and game-changing for me.

I was getting tired of being in my comfort zone, I wanted to go away and play at another level. I managed to lift my game and this week has changed everything,” said Chinhoi after the win.

FBC Zimbabwe Open Golf Championship

The South Africa was chasing his second consecutive Sunshine Tour title after he won the 2023 FBC Zimbabwe Open Championship that was held at Royal Harare Golf Club two weeks ago.

In that same tournament, Chinhoi finished in number 24 after poor last round saw him drop six bogies as he shot 78 to finish with a total of 290 and a par score of over two.

Chinhoi has been in good form recently as he has become a regular winner of the Safari Tour.

The two other Zimbabweans who made the cut were Nyasha Muyambo who finished in a five-way tie for position 20 with nine-under-par 279 while Stuart Krog was also in five-way tie for position 45 with one-under-par 287.
– @brandon_malvin