Brandon Moyo, Sports Reporter
THE wait for the continent’s biggest amateur golf event is over as the 2024 All Africa Golf Team Championship (AAGTC) is set to get underway tomorrow at the oldest golf club in the country, Bulawayo Golf Club.
It is going to be a proud moment for Zimbabwe with flags of 20 African countries hoisted at the iconic venue for the flagship tournament that will run throughout the course of the week.
The tournament is scheduled to run from tomorrow until 2 November. Zimbabwe last hosted the biennial continental showdown in 2017 at the magnificent Elephant Hills Golf Club in Victoria Falls.
Participating teams are arriving in Zimbabwe today and tomorrow, there will be the official opening ceremony and the official practice round.
The championship’s first round will tee-off on Tuesday and will stretch until Friday for the fourth and final round where there will also be the prize presentation.
Competing teams are set to leave Bulawayo on 2 November marking the end of the tournament. The AAGTC is more than just a golf tournament, it is the pinnacle of amateur golf in Africa, showcasing the continent’s best golfing nations.
In an interview with Sunday News Sport, Zimbabwe Golf Association (ZGA) president Martin Chikwana who also serves as the vice-president of the African Golf Confederation (AGC) said they are looking forward to hosting a successful event.
Chikwana called on not only the Bulawayo golfing community but every Zimbabwean to rally behind their team throughout the duration of the championship.
“We have been working hard as an association and the organising committee have been pushing as hard. I am sure as a country we are ready and hopefully the team is also ready to go and represent the 17 million Zimbabweans that are out there.
“We extend the invitation to the entire country and those that are unable to come through to BGC, wherever you are, Zimbabweans are known to support their national teams. This is one of your national teams and the boys that made the team have been working very hard, they have prepared very well and I am sure they are ready to make us all proud. I am sure they are ready to give their all.
“What’s left is for the Zimbabwean community to come and support these boys as they battle it out against the rest of Africa. By the end of the week, we would be smiling and celebrating their achievements,” said Chikwana.
The AAGTC transcends the fairways. It is not just about golf but also showing the world what Zimbabwe and its people are made of. The tournament will also play a crucial role in boosting the tourism and hospitality industry.
“It’s a crucial event for us. It goes beyond golf. It’s an opportunity to showcase what Zimbabwe is all about. We are bringing in close to 100 youngsters from across Africa. We have visitors coming from as far as Scotland to visit Zimbabwe for the first time.
We are hoping that as they go back to their countries they will be able to share with the rest of the world what a beautiful country and people we are.
“It’s about tourism, it’s about team Zimbabwe, it’s about sharing with the rest of the world how beautiful our country is, how accommodating, and how social we are. So, there is so much at stake and I am hoping it’s an opportunity once again, that we can speak about the country that we all love,” Chikwana said.
Last week, Zimbabwe named a strong side made up of five players who have all made names for themselves on the local circuit.
The five entrusted with flying the country’s flag high at the tournament are Tanaka Chatora, Vincent Chidambazina, Kelvin Muchenje, Keegan Shutt and Michael Wallace.
Chidambazina said they are ready for the challenge and believes that playing at home gives them an advantage.
“This is a big tournament. I think we are a strong team and hopefully we will get a chance to win this one. I hope that I will be able to play good golf and also my teammates. Playing on home soil is a good advantage for us. We know the structure of the course, we know how the greens play out and that’s a big advantage for Zimbabwe. It can give us a chance to win the tournament,” he said.
The AAGTC is the continent’s premier amateur golf event bringing together the best amateur golfers from 20 African nations.
Its significance parallels that of the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) in football and the Rugby Africa Cup, as it fosters unity, competitive spirit, and pride among African nations.
The event will also highlight the special breed of participants — Africa’s emerging golf talent — who will pass through Bulawayo as they embark on their journey to professional golf careers.
Morocco are the defending champions having dethroned perennial winners South Africa in the previous edition held in Egypt in 2022. Fans will not have to pay a dime to enjoy the golf as it is free of charge to everyone. Therefore, people have been encouraged to come in numbers and rally behind the sport and their team.
The event will attract officials from esteemed organisations such as the Africa Golf Confederation and the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews (R&A), further amplifying its significance internationally.
Competing teams at the 2024 AAGTC:
South Africa, Mauritius, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Namibia, Gabon, Egypt, Sierra Leone, Seychelles, Nigeria, Uganda, Tunisia, Kenya, Zambia, Angola, Morocco, Mozambique, Botswana, Eswatini, Tanzania. —@brandon_malvin