Golf Zone: Zim finishes 34th in the Eisenhower Trophy

Zimbabwe golf team found the going tough at the Eisenhower Trophy after finishing in 34th place out of 36 teams at the global competition which was held in Abu Dhabi, UAE last week.

Comprising US-based Tafadzwa Nyamukondiwa, David Amm, and Keegan Shutt, Zimbabwe managed a 9-under-par 585 team total, 45 shots behind winners United States of America on 36 under par 540 after four rounds of stroke play.

Only the hosts UAE and Guam fared worse than Zimbabwe as they took the 35th and 36th positions respectively.

The 33rd edition of the World Amateur Team Championships, hosted by the Emirates Golf Federation had 36 countries down from 71 last year competing for top honours in a 72 holes stroke play competition.

Each country fields two or three players with the two lowest scores counting per round.

Norway and Australia tied for second place in the global event with minus 25 with a gross total of 551 while France settled for fourth place one stroke further behind.

 Nyamukondiwa was Zimbabwe’s best performer in the individual standings in 86th place out of 108 golfers after shooting rounds of 70, 72, 74, and 78 to finish on 6 over par 294.

Amm, who is the oldest member in the team at 26, was just a single shot adrift of his compatriot after carding 73, 76, 77, and 69 over the four days to tie for 87th place.

At just 17 years old, Keegan Shutt was making a second consecutive appearance at the Eisenhower Trophy and was tied for position 102 along with Rayan Ahmed from the UAE after shooting 82, 75, 78, and 75 in four rounds.

Last year, the Zimbabwe team which included Rasheed Mohamed, Clifford Sibanda, and Shutt finished 61st out of the 71 teams that took part in the event which was hosted in Paris.

The championships will be held in the Middle East for the first time since their inauguration in 1958.

The championships have historically brought together some of the top amateur players around the world.

Some of the top professional golfers who have participated in the Eisenhower Trophy include Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods of the United States, Colin Montgomerie of Great Britain, Sergio Garcia of Spain, and Rory McIlroy of Ireland.

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