ZAMBIA GOLF OPEN CHIAMPIONSHIP HIT BY 26 WITHDRAWALS
By JAMES WAINDI
FORMER champions Adalson da Silva and Tyronne Ferreira are among 26 foreign golfers who have withdrawn from the 2012 Indo-Zambia Open Golf Championship set to tee off next Wednesday.
Kenya’s top professional Dismas Indiza is also said to have turned a cold shoulder to the prestigious championship is set for Lusaka Golf club, despite having been listed as one of the players for the challenge.
Brazil’s Da silva and Ferreira of South Africa, including two Englishmen, have withdrawn from the event, which is among the richest on the Sunshine Tour calendar.
Da Silva won the 2010 Zambia Open to become the first South American to win the title.
Ferreira, a seasoned campaigner on South Africa’s Sunshine Tour calendar, won the 2008 tournament- the last to be held in Lusaka at Chainama Hills Golf club.
According to Sunshine Tour website, others who have withdrawn from the tournament are Chris Swanepoel, Greg Petzer, Wendell Bossenger (all South Africa), Neil Cheetham, Jeff Inglis (England) and Scotsman Allan Mclean.
Others include Aron Zammer (Italy), Sung-Moon Hohng (South Korea), Robson Saurombe (Zimbabwe), Raymond Mathews, Meshack Zwane (Swaziland), Andrew Odoh (Nigeria), Tsiefsi Mofokeng (Lesotho).
The rest are Warren Abery, Justin Walters, Joshua Cunliffe, Jaco Anhlers, Lyle Rowe, Peter Karmis, Hendrik Burhmman, Francois Houghton, Beyers Smith, George Brown and Garry Hill, all from South Africa.
The entries now stand at 134 among them former champions Steve Basson, Desvonde Botes and last year’s winner Douglas McGuigan of South Africa.
United States of America- based golfer Madalitso Phiri leads a list of 22 Zambian professionals and amateurs who have entered the tournament.
Others are Michael Chiluba, Beza Daka, Dayne Moore, Patrick Mwendapole, Prashant Vaghela, Obed Sholoma, Kelvin Phiri and Mohammad Zulu.
Aaron Simfukwe, Geoffrey Banda, Fidelis Malembeka and Paul Tembo are on the 11-man reserve list that includes three South Africans.
Indo-Zambia Bank has staked US$150,000 (about K750 million) into the tournament as lead sponsors while Konkola Copper Mines has invested US$100,000 (about Ksh8.5 million). michael kors bolsos michael kors bolsos