By SHAMAOMA MUSONDA –
LUSAKA professional golfer Kelvin Phiri posted a hugely impressive second round four-under-par 69 to win the Meanwood General Insurance sponsored 2015 Mopani Copper Mines /Redpath Mining Zambia Open and Zambia Sugar Open qualifier by a staggering seven strokes.
In a two-round qualifier held at the Lusaka Golf Club, the Professional Golf Association of Zambia (PGAZ) picked 10 players to represent Zambia’s interest at the two international tournaments.
But surprisingly missing the cut is seasoned Lusaka golfer Stephen Mbewe and was joined on the way out by Obed Sholoma and Francisco Banda.
Back to the top of the leaderboard, Mbewe’s Day-Two four-under score gave him a two-round total of one-under-par 145 and finished as the only player with a score below par.
The next best effort of the day came from Mohammed Zulu and Nkana’s Beza Daka who brought home one-over-par 74.
Lusaka’s Zulu finished second with a combined total of six-over-par 152, one stroke better than Daka.
PGAZ tournament director, Muswema Mpolokoso expressed happiness with the tournament which had picked the 10 best Zambian players for the two Opens.
“The tournament was generally good and we as an association expect the local professionals raise their bar knowing that what we are going to receive at the two tournaments are top class professionals who play regularly,” he said.
An improved Daka had actually tied in third position with Patrick Mwendapole on seven-over-par 153 while Bruce Chanda was three strokes off in fifth place.
Jason Taylor, so impressive on Day-One where he was joint second on 78, shot an appalling 10-over-club 83 but his better first day score was enough to see him make the cut on 15-over-par 161 together with Bube Samutela.
The other three to make the team are Geoffrey Banda (162), Aaron Simfukwe and Gibson Saloba who both had 166.
The $300,000-rich (about K2.2 million) Mopani Copper Mines /Redpath Mining Zambia Open will be held on April 23-26 while Zambia Sugar Open with a prize tag of R1.5 million (about K900, 000) is set for April 30 – May 3.
