Uncertainty over Zim Open golf

UNCERTAINTY has continued to cloud the Zimbabwe Open, the country’s premier golf tournament, after it was pushed to the second half of the year and still subject to the situation of the containment of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Zim Open tournament director Mike Mahachi said yesterday that while the competition had been pushed to the latter half of the year, chances still remain that it could be further deferred to 2022.

“All Sunshine Tour tournaments, outside South Africa, have been pushed to the second half of the year,” said Mahachi, after the tournament missed its originally scheduled March 23-April 3 dates.

“We are just weeks off getting the green light to resume golf in the country, and remain committed to hosting the tournament.

“We have just begun talks with all the relevant stakeholders, as we could not plan much until we had been cleared by the Sport and Recreation Commission,” he said.

The coronavirus remains a thorn in the foot for the organisers of the tournament.

“We will continue to monitor the situation, keeping an eye on the threat of a third wave of the coronavirus” said Mahachi.

“We stand guided by the government, through the SRC, and we are holding consultations with the relevant health and government authorities as it pertains to a date for the tournament.

“Our hope is that the situation will have improved and be conducive for us to hold the tournament, otherwise we will push it to 2022.

“Unlike other sports and tournaments, this is a Zimbabwean tournament and has to be held in Zimbabwe.

“If things don’t improve this year, then things will be back to normal in 2022.

“Fans are a crucial part of the tournament, and golf at large, and might be welcomed back by then, and borders open for foreign players,” he said.

Whichever way one looks at it, the Open could possibly come out as the hardest hit by the pandemic.

Last held back in 2018 when South Africa’s Bryce Easton walked away the champion, the tournament has been a no-show for the last two editions.

It was cancelled in 2019 when organisers announced that they could not pay foreign players in local currency, after which the pandemic hit and all sport was put on ice.

Should the tournament return this year, it will likely be a low key event without fans and limited, if any, foreign players.

A cancellation will also see the tournament go into its third year without featuring on the radar.