By SHAMAOMA MUSONDA –

THE prize money for the 2015 Zambia Sugar Open Golf Tournament has been increased to R1.5 million (about K825,000) from the R1.2 million in the past three years.
Zambia Sugar Open Tournament Local Organising Committee (LOC) chairperson Roy Penney also revealed that this year’s tournament which would have 30 locals taking part would gobble US$500,000 (about K3.2 million).
Penny said that with the increased interest in the Zambia Sugar Open, his committee had decided to up the cash prizes so that it meets its billing.
“This year, we have decided to increase the cash prizes by about R300, 000. It used to be at R1.2 million but this year, we have taken it to as high as R1.5 million and we are hopeful of hosting a successful tournament,” he said.
He said this during a media briefing held at the Lusaka Golf Club, which would host the tournament.
The Zambia Sugar Open will be held from April 28 to May 3 at the Lusaka Golf Club and will be part of the Sunshine Tour whose winner gains entry into the British Open tournament.
Penny said his committee had opened talks with MultiChoice to have the tournament aired by SuperSport as that would be an added advantage to the various already-existing and would-be sponsors.
LOC vice-chairperson Jason Kazilimani said that the main sponsors, Zambia Sugar, had pumped in US$150, 000 into this year’s event and that apart from that, the company had committed themselves to sponsoring one of the two Pro-Am tournaments, which acts as curtain-raiser for Zambia Sugar Open proper.
“We are fortunate here that we have such a lovely sponsor like Zambia Sugar, they committed themselves to this tournament for three years and this is the second year. We are proud to have a commitment that guarantees that we shall have them as well as the Zambia Open next year,” he said.
Apart from the US$150, 000 that the Zambia Sugar pumps in towards the Open’s cash prize, it also dangles out US$100, 000 towards publicity and branding of the tournament.
Lusaka Golf Club Captain Nsama Mataka expressed happiness with the progress made towards preparations for the tournament saying everything was advancing positively both on the fundraising and golf course issues.
Mataka said the committee that was put in place was making strides at also securing the sponsor of the second Pro-Am.
Meanwhile, the Sunshine Tour has expressed happiness with the state of the Lusaka Golf Club ahead of hosting the Zambia Sugar Open giving it a 95 percent mark.
Sunshine Tour Tournament director Gary Todd, who yesterday flew in and out of Lusaka to carry out inspection works, said that the only concern was the Green on Hole number-12 but that the works on it from last year were superb.
“I have looked at the 12th hole and I would like to state that it is a 100 times better that it was last year, there has been excellent work done on it. I also looked at the few holes and they look quite playable and just a few millimetre concerns and that’s not really big stuff. So I think it’s about 90-95 percent of the work done,” he said.