Zimbabwe pros give locals run for money
The second leg of the ongoing Safari Tour Golf Series took an unexpected turn at the VetLab Golf Club when Zimbabwean duo of Tafara Mpofu and Robson Chinhoi played under par to grab two of the three top spots after the first round played yesterday.
Mpofu took a two shots lead after registering a three under par 69 performance in a tough opening day at the Vetlab Sports Club course where only three players managed to register under par results.
“I am not playing anyone but against the course. It was a good opener. I have played minus three and that is a good result compared to how I played in Sigona.
Here at Vetlab it’s a new challenge because I am new on the course and the greens are thicker and sloppy.
I started very well with four birdies and a bogey at the front nine and only dropped one shot in the first nine and one shot at the 18th hole and I hope to improve on the results tomorrow,” Mpofu told People Sport.
The 24-year-old Mpofu who hails from Chapman Golf Club in Harare leads the log that has Zimbabwean Robson Chinhoi and Nelson Mudanyi of Muthaiga Golf club tied in second place with a score of under par 71.
Chinhoi, bogeyed the par third then picked up birdies from fifth to eighth in a round he enjoyed the first nine as his back nine was highlighted by dropped shots on the 10th and 11th.
He managed to recover them on the 14th and 15th but was almost set aback by an awful double bogey six at the home green (18th) for two over back nine, to tie with Mudanyi who played a neat bogey‐free round which had 17 pars and one birdie holed at the par five ‐ seventh hole.
“I am very happy today I have started on a clean sheet compared to how I played in Sigona and I hope to build up on today’s round and see how it goes this week,” said Nelson Mudanyi.
Local pro Mathew Omondi missed the first leg at Sigona last week but surprisingly grabbed a slot in the top five courtesy of registering one over par 73, to stay close with the leaders and is expected to be among the Kenyans to watch out for as the event enters its second round.
Tee off of the second round today is at 9am where more than half the number of participants will be knocked out to leave behind just 20 players who will be in the money bracket.
