By FELIX MALUNGA –
ZAMBIAS golf sensation, Madalitso Muthiya yesterday fired a near-perfect four-under-par 68 on the opening day of the Sun Windmill Challenge in Bloemfontein, South Africa, to stay six strokes behind overnight leader, Callum Mowat.
In this R700,000-rich (about K504,000) tournament at Bloemfontein Golf Club, Muthiya shot an eagle and five birdies with the only blemish being a bogey on number eight and double bogey on the 17th.
. Muthiya
Muthiya started his campaign by sinking an eagle on the third but dropped a shot on the eighth to finish one-under after the nine holes.
The Lusaka golfer birdied the first three holes on the back nine and then sunk another birdie on the 14th but dropped two precious strokes on number 17.
He wrapped up the first round by sinking a birdie on the 18th to tie for eight with five others, including Zimbabwean Mark Williams, who was joint second with Muthiya at the 2006 Zambia Open Championship in Chingola.
Last weekend, Muthiya tied for 27th with two others at the Vodacom Origins of Golf presented by Samsung at Vaal De Grace Golf Estate.
Muthiya finished on seven-under-par 209, earning himself R6,695 (about K4,820) while compatriot, Dayne Moore had his best performance in South Africa when he carded an impressive nine-under-par 207 to pocket R9,598 (about K6,910).
