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Scott Vincent…………Zimbabwe’s brightest prospect?

REIGNING top amateur, Scott Vincent cemented his status as the country's brightest star when he coasted to a two-shot victory in the season-opening Dugmore Trophy at Bulawayo Golf Club last Sunday (24 January 2010). More than 60 of the country's leading amateur golfers took part in the two-day, 72-hole tournament.

Vincent, who seems to be carrying on from where he left off last year had actually started rather poorly, carding a first round 75 - five shots behind first round leader, K. Basson of Royal Harare. And while Vincent recovered in the second round with a 71, Basson consolidated his five-shot lead over Vincent by carding a 71 for a first day total of 141.

That gave Basson the overnight lead with Vincent's Chapman teammate, Roger Jack second on 143 after rounds of 71 and 72 while Vincent was out in fifth position on 146. But a superb third round 69 brought Vincent back into serious contention, and with Basson's game crumbling following a 77 in the third round, the initiative was back with Vincent.

A closing round 71 for Vincent effectively killed off the contest with the Chapman golfer totalling 286 and edging the tournament by two-strokes from clubmate, Jack, who followed up his third round 74 with a final round 71 for a 288 total. The host club's M. Ncube, who was well on course to tie or even win the tournament with Vincent after a consistent showing in the preceding 54-holes faltered badly in the final round, adding a battling 75 to his earlier scores of 71, 74 and 71.

That gave Ncube a 291 total and third place - five shots clear of the fourth placed quartet of halfway leader Basson, outgoing champion Nyasha Muyambo, B. Painting and teenage prodigy, Dumi Chitengwa. Basson closed with a faltering 78 while Muyambo had topsy-turvy rounds of 73, 76, 76 and 71. Painting was a little better, and improved with just about every round - scores of 77, 75, 72 and 72 testimony of that. Chitengwa had to haul himself into fourth position thanks to a superb final round 69 that had been preceded by rounds of 74, 78 and 75.

Positions 8 to 10 were taken up by Bulawayo Golf Club's Murray Parsons, Chapman's Dale Howie and Wingate's S. Chiwaya, in that order. Parsons had rounds of 75, 70, 77 and 75 for a 297 total while Howie shot rounds of 71, 79, 74 and 75 for a 72-hole total of 299. Tenth-placed Chiwaya (301) had rounds of 79, 70, 77 and 75.

Meanwhile, Chapman Golf Club "A" team won the team event with a combined total of 867, some 28 strokes clear of second-placed team BRRW-A which was made up of G. Bentley, David Elijah, Dale Howie and A. Mandaza. The Chapman "A" team was made up of Vincent, Muyambo, Jack and Trynos Muradzikwa. The youthful Royal Harare Golf Club team of Ray Badenhorst, K. Basson, S. Ferreira and Kayyan Mandhu was placed third on 907.

In the traditional Fellowship Cup, which features the more senior of the amateur golfers, the Bulawayo Golf Club "B" team of A and N. Fawcett, R. Smith and Matabeleland Golf Union (MGU) president Todd Van Breda, emerged victorious with a staggering points tally of 194, six clear of second placed Bulawayo Golf Club "A". The Bulawayo Golf Club "A" team comprised of J. Gardner, P. McDermott, club skipper Steve Shirto and H. Ranchod. Bulawayo Golf Club "C" took third position on 182 points. The Bulawayo Golf Club "C" team was made up of S. Mpofu, E. Ndlovu, M. Dube and D. Rutanhira. The other clubs represented in the Fellowship Cup were Roland Park of Zvishavane, Claremont, Kwekwe Golf Club, Hwange Golf Club, Bulawayo Country Club and Harry Allen Golf Club.

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