By KALUMIANA KALUMIANA –
MADALISO Muthiya has dedicated his debut win on the Sunshine Tour to his late father, Peter Muthiya.
Muthiya on Saturday won the 2016 Vodacom Origins of Golf tournament played at the Wild Coast Sun Country Club in South Africa to pick up his debut tournament win since turning professional 11 years ago.
He said in an interview from South Africa after his triumph that his father, who died in 2002, had always believed in his abilities.
“Obviously I think God first and foremost, my family who have been very supportive of my career in everything that I do. And then obviously to my late father, he was the one who was instrumental in believing in my talents and my abilities in Golf,” Muthiya said.
The 33-year-old golfer won the three-round event by two shots at 11-under 199 when he carded a final round 66 on Saturday after shooting par on Friday following his impressive start on Thursday when he took the overnight lead on day-one with a seven-under 63.
Muthiya had five birdies and one bogey on the par three fourth hole on Saturday that also gave him problems on Thursday but shot even there on Friday.
“It was very tough, it was very windy, on Friday I played equally as good but I missed a few short putts and then today (Saturday) I made a few par putts and that culminated in me winning the tournament,” Muthiya said.
Muthiya added that he challenge for him now was to keep his feet on the ground after his debut major win.
“I will prepare the same way to obviously to try and do my best to try and come out victorious again but I will take it a step at a time. I will get some confidence from this and try and do well going forward,” the 2006 Zambia Open runner-up said.
Muthiya moved the Sunshine Tour in 2014 after seven years in the United States of America campaigning on the Challenge Tour which is the second tier of the USA PGA Tour.
Meanwhile,GWEN CHIPASULA reports that a 12-member ladies team is today leaves for Zimbabwe to compete in the A and B Triangular Ladies Golf tournament slated for August 3 to 5as well as the Zimbabwean Open.
In the A and B Triangular event, Zambia will compete against Botswana and host Zimbabwe with Zambia Ladies Golf Union (ZLGU) president Beauty Mukanda hoping for the best from the team.
The Division A team comprises Angela Banda, Kekelwa Kwalombota, Esther Wemba, Joyce Chipeta and Exilda Ndaba while B Division has Chileshe Mwaba, Edna Njolvu, Minesi Siame, Lynette Simuchimba and Dolly Mbambara.