A huge number of foreign golfers is set to take to the tee when the National Aids Council (NAC) Zimbabwe Ladies Golf Union Open tees-off at Chapman Golf Club in Harare this morning.
The annual event is set to conclude on Sunday.
The flagship women's golf tournament in the country has attracted about 120 golfers from around the country while about 20 of them are from Kenya and Zambia.
Zimbabwe who have dominated regional tournaments in the recent past are expected to provide the winner in this event.
"We are expecting about 120 golfers from all our provinces namely Manicaland , Midlands, Hwange, Chiredzi and Mutare. We also have some regional players who are coming in . We have eight players and 12 top players from Kenya will be joining us for the tournament," ZLGU president Margaret Vera told journalists during a press conference to launch the competition yesterday.
"We are expecting our golfers to win because we have just ended what is called the Gilbertson and Page Challenge Trophy which was played at Chapman and Royal Golf Clubs in the last two days involving Kenya, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
"We won that trophy in 2019 after a 13 year drought so we were very determined to retain it here in our country and I am happy to say we managed to win it . Two months ago our top players went to Zambia amateur ladies open in Lusaka and we took the top three spots so are very confident that our girls are going to play well.+
"This is a World Golf ranking amateur tournament and the top players from Kenya and Zambia want those ranking points. It's going to be a tough competition but I can assure that the top place is going to remain here," she added.
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Vera expressed gratitude to NAC who have been sponsoring the tournament for the past four years providing cervical cancer screening services to athletes and spectators on the sidelines of the tournament.
"I want to thank the National Aids Council. This is the fourth year running that we have partnered with NAC for the women amateur golf tournament. We have partnered with NAC because we have an appreciation that there is a direct relationship between good health and playing well. We appreciate it because they have been providing cancer screening for us for four years.
"Last year 2022 we had a very successful event at Royal Harare where we had quite a lot of women who came for screening. Our mantra with NAC is 'leaving none behind' and we are encouraging all our players to be screened, to bring all their relatives like they did last year," she said.
NAC Operations Director Raymond Yekeye said they are using this tournament to drive the message about HIV and AIDS as well as encouraging regular cervical cancer screening.
"This is a tournament that has been going on as a partnership between the Zimbabwe Ladies Golf Union and the National Aids Council for the past four years.
"As NAC we are using this tournament to drive the message around HIV and AIDS and Non communicable diseases and making sure we do not leave anyone behind. We are looking at encouraging a culture of being tested and screened for cervical cancer regularly," he said.
The Zimbabwe ladies golf team this week won the triangular Gilbertson and Page Challenge Trophy that also includes Zambia and Kenya.
Zimbabwe were led by seasoned players such as captain Yollander Mubaiwa and US-based Margaret Nyamukondiwa while Primross Chikwaya, Kudzi Mandava, Wadzanai Kwaririma and Tracy Humbira completed the team.
Mubayiwa and Nyamukondiwa are expected to challenge for the championship in NAC Zimbabwe Open tournament.
