GOLF prodigy Keegan Shutt became the first Zimbabwean to finish in the top five in over 30 years after tying for fourth on overall 2-under-par 282 in the iconic 2025 Junior Orange Bowl International Championship at the Biltmore Golf Club in Coral Gables, Florida, on Monday.
The late Lewis Chitengwe won the tournament in 1992.
Shutt, who was in a tie for second after the first two rounds, carded 67 70 77 and 68 in four rounds to finish five strokes behind winner Amarican Lorenzo Rodriguez on 7-under-par 277.
Joshua Hess from Switzerland was second, a shot behind Rodriguez on 6-under-par while Colombian Tomas Restrepo settled for third place after managing 5-under-par for the tournament.
Canadian Shauna Liu won the women's championship by six strokes on 8-under-par 276.
Shutt looked like a strong contender for the title after two rounds as he sat in a tie for second on 5-under but struggled in the third after he shot 6-over-par 77 and slipped out of the top 10 going into the last day.
But the 18-year golfer bounced back brilliantly in the final round with a joint second best score of the day, 3-under-par 68 to share fourth place with Englishman Harry Cox and Joey Laciofano from America.
Shutt eclipsed top local professional golfer Kieran Vincent's impressive performance which saw him finish sixth at the 51st edition of the competition in 2014.
- Shutt makes history at Orange Bowl
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At the time, Vincent shot finished on 1-under-par 283 for the tournament to become the first Zimbabwean to make the top 10 at Orange Bowl.
He was six shots behind Chilean Joaquin Nieman who is currently among the top golfers in the world at the moment and had a brilliant season on the LIV Golf League last season.
The win also sets the tone for yet another memorable season for Shutt after he won the Zim Amatuer, Chapman Grand Slam, Champions of Champions and the Royal Harare Golf Club championships, among other achievements last year.
Shutt also impressed at the Toyota Junior Golf World Cup in Japan and the All Africa Golf team championship which the country hosted at Bulawayo Golf Club and finished third in October and November last year.
