Rising teenage golfer Vincent Chidambazina lifted the 2024 edition of the Hillside Masters amateur title after shooting rounds of 69 76 and 76 for a gross total of 221 at Hillside Golf Club in Mutare on Sunday.
It was Chidambazina’s second win on the local amateur circuit this year after he also won the Matebeleland Amateur Golf Tournanament, which was his maiden win at this level, at Harry Allen Golf Club in Bulawayo.
The 17-year-old golfer hails from Chimanimani and is a survivor of Cyclone Idai which ravaged his home village in March 2019 when he was only 12 years old.
Chidambazina honed his golf skills on a nine-hole golf course which was destroyed by Cyclone Idai and has risen to become one of the most exciting golf prospects in the country.
“I good and blessed to win the Hillside Masters. This is my second win in the amateur events so it feels great to win it and it shows that I am improving as a golfer,” Chidambazina told Newsday Sport after his win.
“I think the secret for me this year has been to believe in myself and also being patient with myself whenever I played a bad shot. I always tried to make sure that the next shot is good. I think that’s what has helped to get these results in tournament,” he added.
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Chidambazina was one troke ahead of Mashonaland West Amatuer Golf Tournament Elton Zulu from Bindura and local favourite Braydon Amm, who grossed 227 to tie for second place.
Zulu carded 79 71 and 77 in three rounds while Amm managed 73 80 and 74.
The women competition was won by Hillside Golf Club’s Jeane Crewe was playing off a 25 handicap and netted 159 in 36 holes.
A total of 27 golfers took part in the two day event with 15 competing for the championship while 12 took part in the 36-hole competition.
Manicaland Golf Association chairman Tristan Alves, who was also the Hillside Masters coordinator, was pleased with how the tournament went apart from the low turnout.
“I think the tournament went well and there weren’t any hiccups that we came across. But we would have preferred a few more golfers in the event but I know this is smaller competition in the Zimbabwe Golf Association (ZGA) points system. Soon we are going to have the Manicaland Amateur championship which is bigger and we are hoping to have more golfers taking part,” he said.