SA Golfers Roundup, Week 20

SUNSHINE TOUR

Zimbabwe’s Tongoona Charamba became only the third black winner on the Sunshine Tour this weekend since John Mashego won in 1991 and Lindani Ndwandwe followed suit in 2001.

The 22-year old from Zimbabwe claimed his maiden pro victory on Saturday in the SAA Pro-Am Invitational when he defeated seasoned pro’s Jean Hugo and Hennie Otto by two-shots at the Kempton Park Golf Club.

Charamba also posted the best three rounds of his professional career, 65-67-67, en route to his winning total of 17-under-par 199. Otto and Hugo tied for second on 15-under after posting respective rounds of 67 and 70.

ASIAN TOUR
South Africa’s Peter Karmis claimed his first international top-five finish with a third placing at the US$300,000 Macau Open on Sunday, where Australian rookie Kane Webber lifted his maiden Asian Tour title.

In his second start on the Asian Tour, Karmis opened his tally with a 71 at the Macau Golf and Country Club on Thursday, then shot to sole third on Friday when he fired a sizzling 64.

On Saturday he managed a credible third round 72 to remain in joint third alongside Chinarat Phadungsil of Thailand.

Starting the final round only five shots off the pace from third round leader, Australian Brad Kennedy, Karmis seemed oblivious to the rainy conditions as he plodded to a successive 72 that secured his third placing alongside Kennedy, who crumbled to a final day 77.

At five-under-par 279, Karmis and Kennedy finished four strokes behind Webber, who climbed up to 33rd on the Asian Tour’s UBS Order of Merit, took home the top prize of US$47,550.

Karmis moved into 66th with earnings of $16,545 after two starts. Hendrik Buhrmann still leads the local contingent. The veteran, who claimed his first Asian Tour title last week at the Aamby Valley Asian Masters, is 21st on the money list with earnings of $91,665 for the season.

Meanwhile Keith Horne, who finished on six-over-par 290 to tie for 34th on the weekend, slipped four positions to 39th. Horne, still chasing his maiden win in Asia is the second highest ranked South African, with earnings of $53,665.

EUROPEAN SENIORS TOUR
Scotland’s Sam Torrance fired a faultless 67 to steer him to his fifth European Senior Tour title at the Sharp Italian Seniors Open, while South Africans Bobby Lincoln and Bertus Smit snuck into the top-20.

Lincoln, tied for 10th at the start of Sunday’s final round, experienced a roller coaster day of birdies and drop shots at the Circolo Golf Venezia to finish the tournament on one-under-par 215, 10 shots behind Torrance’s winning score.

Zimbabwe’s Tony Johnstone, who was making his European Seniors Tour debut after a remarkable recovery from multiple sclerosis, enjoyed a great start to his campaign with opening rounds of 71 and 70.

But on the final day, Johnstone found himself struggling with a cold putter and eventually closed with a 79 for a share of 28th place on four-over-par 220.

Former Malmesburg wheat farmer, Bertus Smit vaulted to a share of 18th on Sunday with a final round two-under-par 70, finishing two shots behind Lincoln on one-over 217. His round was a solid affair, with only one bogey at the eighth marring an otherwise faultless round.

Smit, who finished runner-up in the 2005 European Senior Tour School, turned pro in 2000 following a successful amateur career that saw him win more than 100 titles. He sold his farm after 30 years to follow his dream and went to play the mini-tours in the USA, where he featured prominently and topped the Sunbelt Senior Professional Golf Tour Money List in 2002 and 2003.