By SHAMAOMA MUSONDA –
GOLF student Timothy Sondashi finished in an impressive 10th place at the October Tuks University Golf Club Championship played at the tough Centurion Golf Club in Pretoria at the weekend.
Sondashi, who is on a four-year golf scholarship at the University of Pretoria, in South Africa, brought 150 after playing 36 holes in one day.
The field which exceeded 50 golfers was first played on 18 holes in the morning and another 18 holes was added in the afternoon in a test of endurance.
In the morning score, Sondashi carded 76 and when he went in for the afternoon round, he slightly improved his score to 74.
The 150 score Sondashi grossed was 11 shots off winner Marco Loubser who had 139, a clear five shots better than David Nortje and Andre Plint who were in joint second position on 144.
Albert Venter and Natasha Carlsson were on 145 while another pair of Neil Theron and Andrew van der Knaap was on 147 with Marco Styne, winner of the September tournament, on 148 while Dylan Naidoo finished a shot better than Sondashi on 149.
Zambia Junior Golf Association (ZJGA) director Aloysius Phiri was excited with Sondashi’s performance saying the former national juniorteam captain was showing consistency even under tough situations.
“We are really proud of what Sondashi is doing so far at the university.
The reports we keep getting are really impressive both in class and on the course, we just hope he continues on this path and achieve the dream we have for him and golf in the country,” Phiri said.
Sondashi is on a Tuks University scholarship and is in his first of year together with Mukuka Mwango and will on completion become the first ever Zambia golf experts.
“We have been watching Timothy closely and he is bringing distinctions in class and then shinning on the course, this 150 score which put him in joint 10th place is not bad considering that he is using outdated golf clubs,” he said.
Phiri said the ZJGA is hoping that the skill and knowledge that the two will acquire will then be transferred to all junior players and help uplift the standards of golf in the country.