Author: MBONILE BURTON
AfricaPress-Tanzania: THE winner of the CDF Trophy for professional golfers will be known today after the decisive sudden-death playoff between Aidan Nziku and Nuru Mollel at Lugalo Club course in Dar es Salaam.
The sudden death comes after the two golfers tied on 151 strokes at the end the tournament’s 36-hole showdown at the same venue on Friday.
The today’s play-off besides deciding who deserves to be the event’s overall winner, will also reveal the category’s overall runner up.
Still the category’s third position title went to Frank Mwinuka who grossed 153 strokes after beating the fourth-placed Hassan Kadio on count back. Kadio also returned 153 strokes.
Others who did well on that day were Jimmy Mollel who grossed 154 strokes to finish fifth, despite tying with Frank Roman and Abdallah Yusuf on the same score.
Also placed in the top-ten list included Stanley Sanga from Zanzibar who penned 155 strokes, beating John Leonce who returned 156 strokes by a single shot.
Others like Iddy Mzaki, who inked 157 strokes and Elisante Lembrice who fired 160 strokes, were among the top contenders for the golf title.
Also took part in the tournament were veteran golfers; Salim Mwanyenza and Fadhil Nkya, who carded 160 strokes each while Bryceson Nyenza bagged 162 strokes.
Speaking ahead of the today’s play-off, Nziku said there was nothing to say about it, but he is heading for a tough battle and ready for any challenge.
But Nuru Mollel said the battle for the CDF Trophy is likely to be tough but he will fight tooth and nail at the final. More than 200 golfers have been listed for this year’s CDF Trophy Golf tournament, according to the organisers.
Due to the big entry, the organisers decided to enable pros cover all 36 holes on Friday so as to give ample space for Saturday and Sunday’s amateur showdown.
The club’s communication officer, Selemani Semunyu and the Chief of Defence Forces (CDF), Venance Mabeyo will grace the competition’s prize giving gala in the event kindly backed by NMB.
He said golfers who feature in the tournament come from Mufindi Golf Club of Iringa, Sea Cliff Resort and Spa Golf Club of Zanzibar, Moshi Gymkhana Club and TPC Club of Kilimanjaro, Morogoro Gymkhana Club, Kili Golf Club and Arusha Gymkhana Club (AGC) of Arusha and Dar Gymkhana Club.
Lugalo Club’s golf captain, Japhet Masai said it will be also exciting to see junior golfers battling in 18 holes, 9 holes and putting competition for the youngest golfers.
He said that the gross competition is the second major tournament to be held at club after Lugalo Open that was held in March this year before the outbreak of coronavirus.
NMB Bank has been supporting the CDF trophy competition since 2014, and it will continue doing it.
Lugalo Club’s Chairman, Michael Luwongo said this is an important platform for the CDF, who is the TPDF Lugalo club patron, to receive an annual report and also observe the progress of the sport at the club.
