GOLFERS Keegan Shutt and Margret Nyamukondiwa emerged winners of the Zimbabwe Amateur Championship in the men’s and women’s category respectively which concluded at Chapman Golf Club on Sunday.
Shutt was favourite to win the country's premier amateur golf competition after going into the final round with a 10 stroke lead over nearest rival and defending champion Michael Wallace.
The 18-year-old golfer shot a level par 72 comprising two birdies and two bogeys in the final for a winning 6-under par 282 score after carding 73, 69 and 68 in the first three rounds.
It was Shutt's third title in the space of a month after winning the Chapman Grand Slam and the Champion of Champions titles earlier in the month.
"I am happy to win this one because I think it is biggest in Zimbabwe on the Amateur circuit and I am excited to win it. I think my irons were really good in this tournament and I did not miss too many greens so that gave me a lots of chances for a birdie. My tee shots were awful on the first day, but I managed to sort it out and I was looking good," Shutt said after the win.
Wallace, who was bidding to win his second consecutive Zimbabwe Amateur title following his triumph last year, shot his first sub par score in the final round with a 1-under par 71.
However, he finished nine shots behind the champion on an overall 3-over par 291 having made 73, 74 and 73 in the earlier round.
US-based golfer Tariro November settled for third place after leading the competition on the first day.
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He shot rounds of 72, 76, 76 and the best score of the final round, 69 to finish one shot behind Wallace and 10 adrift the champion.
Tafadzwa Nyamukondiwa, who recently completed his studies in the US, finished in a tie for fourth along with Wingate's Shepherd Chiwaya after grossing 299.
In the ladies competition Margret Nyamukondiwa shot a fantastic final round 70 to gross 305 and beat long time rival Danielle Bekker to the title by three shots.
The two talented female golfer, who are both based in the US, went into the final day tied after three rounds but Bekker's 73, her best score of the tournament saw her fall short of the title.
There was one foreign national Matthew Mortimer who took part in the men's event, finishing sixth after carding 73 71 78 and 79 in 72 holes.
