Chinhoi dares to dream of Open title
Zimbabwean golfer Robson Chinhoi is happy with his preparations ahead of the Magical Kenya Open and believes his familiarity with host venue Muthaiga Golf Club and his two years stay in the country will be an advantage to him.
The World No. 1,685 has played 10 big events in four African countries between 2017-2021 finishing 38th in the Zimbabwean Open in 2018 and in the top 60 in the Limpopo Open Championship in 2019.
The vivacious player has taken part in some highlight events around the continent like Zanaco Masters in Zambia, RAM Cape Town Open in and KCB Karen Masters, among others.
His latest exploit was the recent Safari Tour where he won the last leg at Karen Country Club last month. In 2021, he played two tournaments, Kenya Savannah Classic and Magical Kenya Open, which are both DP World Tour Events.
The three-time Safari Tour champion is seen as one of the raw talents to create ripples at the tournament that is returning to the picturesque Muthaiga Golf Club after three years.
Speaking to People Sport recently off his training session, Chinhoi who is now fluent in Kiswahili, described the occasion as momentous and was keen to make the cut and then fight on with the big boys in what will be a thrilling week of high-level golf.
“I feel honoured to get the invite and play alongside some of the world’s best here. I want to enjoy myself but also play my best. It will be a tough competition but ultimately my target is to make the cut. I am in Kenya but I do not feel like a foreigner here because for two years I have been in this amazing country which has shown me nothing but love. I have played so many top golf tournaments with locals here and what’s more, I know the courses so I am ready,” he said during an interview with this writer at the 10th tee on the sidelines of his practice session at the Muthaiga Golf Club.
The 30-year-old Harare native and a member of the Royal Harare Golf Club has had a steady run in local golfing ever since the Covid-19 pandemic checked in around March 2020. The Mutare-born Chinhoi managed to win his first tournament at Vet Lab last year, missed the Uganda Open, but back to Kenya, he won the Limuru leg, Karen, and finally the last one at Muthaiga.
Chinhoi believes his game still needs polishing as the tournament edges closer. “I am going to work on my short game before the Magical Kenya Open. I believe this time around, I will go past the first two rounds,” he told People Sport.
The player walked away with Sh51,666 in the just ended Safari Tour series and the player has admitted that it is golf sustaining him in Kenya. “I live and breathe golf. It pays my bills and I travel because of it. I just love it and I started a long way back. This journey is still long and I will obviously be targeting bigger events and more points in the future. For now, my target is achieving the maximum in the Kenya Open 2022 edition.”
