BY DANIEL NHAKANISO A NEW era beckons for development in Southern Africa with the launch of the newly established Chevron Golf Tour at Bonanza Golf Course in Lusaka, Zambia on June 27.
The developmental golf circuit has positioned itself as a tailor-made gateway for professionals and elite junior and amateur golfers aspiring to join the pro ranks.
The inaugural Chevron Golf Tour season boasts of a packed 2022-2023 schedule of 11 54-tournaments from this month to April next year, culminating with the Tour Championship.
Each carries a minimum prize fund of $5,000. The season will get underway with the Rozwi Classic to be played at Bonanza Golf Course in Lusaka from June 28 to July 3.
The opening event will coincide with the official launch of the tour before the second tournament, the Gokomere Open which has been slated for Chapman Golf Club from July 13 to 15.
The tour will boast a flood of incentives geared to encourage the next wave of professionals from Southern Africa to break onto the big stage.
“The tour brings together golf professionals from Zambia, Zimbabwe, Malawi, and Tanzania and across the region over 11 tournaments in those countries to produce the region’s top professionals,” the organisers said in their exquisite tour brochure gleaned by StandardSport.
“Through the tournaments and lifestyle events our organisation creates a unique platform for golf enthusiasts, corporates and wider society in a unique arena. Our offering that incorporates Pro-Ams, entertainment zones, networking events, an Expo and courses for the players and our participating partners offers outstanding opportunities from a business and marketing perspective. We want to position the tour as a not only a space to grow the game, professionalism but to also give a different edge to marketing and corporate growth,” the Chevron Tour said.
In addition to providing golfers the opportunity to compete in professional and pro-am golf tournaments in a structured, growth oriented tour on a regular basis, the tour will also incorporate other player development activities meant to equip the participants with important life skills such as financial planning, career planning and sports science and nutrition.
The establishment of the Chevron Golf Tour will compliment efforts being made by the Zimbabwe Professional Golfers Association (ZPGA) to ensure local professional golfers get some competitive game time before making the step up to other top professional circuits.