.MUTHIYA

By ELIAS CHIPEPO –

GOLFER Madalisto Muthiya won the inaugural Sports Council of Zambia (SCZ) Pro-Am held on Tuesday after firing a gross score of 69 to walk away with $250 (about K 1,500).
The tournament was organised by the SCZ to help shape up Zambian professional and amateur golfers ahead of the Mopani Copper Mines 2014 Zambia Open tournament to be held in Kitwe and the Summer Zambia Sugar Open to be held at the Lusaka Golf Club.
National junior team coach Patrick Mwendapole finished second with a gross score of 71 to get $200 and in third position was Kelvin Phiri who pocketed $150 after a gross score of 74 in a tournament that attracted 13 professional golfers.
Abhinav Walya won the amateur event after scoring a gross of 76 to finish ahead of Kelvin Chibuye of Ndola Golf Club, who had the same score but statistics favoured the former.
And SCZ board member Matildah Mwaba expressed happiness with the participation of the youths in the one-day tournament.
Mwaba, who was the guest of honour, said during the prize presentation ceremony on Tuesday night that golf was perceived as a sport for the elite but was happy that the Zambia Golf Union had actively involved the youths.
Another SCZ board member, Smart Mwitwa said he was happy with the organisation of the tournament that saw Zambia’s accomplished golfers taking part in the inaugural event.
Mwitwa said the idea behind hosting the Pro-Am tournament was to help the golfers adequately prepare for the Zambia Open championships to be held this year and that the overall winner of the three Pro-Ams will win K20, 000.
“We want to see a Zambian win the Zambia Open title and we feel organising these tournaments will greatly help attain that feat especially as the country would be celebrating its golden jubilee,” Mwitwa said.