The Sunday News
Brandon Moyo, Sports Reporter
AS the Zimbabwe Golf Association (ZGA) and its stakeholders prepare to play host to the country’s biggest golf tournament, the FBC Zimbabwe Open in early May, it will be a special event for one New Zealand based professional golfer.
A member of the New Zealand Professional Golfers Association (NZPGA), a few golf enthusiasts may know the name Pieter Zwart, a Zimbabwean born player.
He is scheduled to return to Zimbabwe for the 2024 Sunshine Tour rated tournament, which takes place at the iconic Royal Harare Golf Club.
Zwart turned pro in 2010. In his professional golfing career spanning 14 years, Zwart has never competed in Zimbabwe’s biggest golf tournament and that is set to change, as he is in line to compete at the upcoming Zimbabwe Open, which attracts the biggest names, locally and internationally.
Born and raised in Zimbabwe until he was 16 years old, Zwart moved to the Pacific country in 2003 and started playing regular golf at 17. Now, he has the opportunity to return where it all started and make an account for himself on home soil.
However, it will not be his first time playing at Royal Harare. He has a number of achievements under his name.
“I would like the opportunity to return and play in the 2024 Zimbabwe Open. I had the pleasure of playing at Royal Harare back in 2022, following a trip to South Africa, where I captained New Zealand in the inaugural Four Nations Cup, an honour I also had in 2023 when the event was held in Melbourne, Australia.
“I found my passion for playing golf back at Marondera Golf Club, before my dad passed away and I migrated to New Zealand as a 16-year-old with my family. I turned professional in 2010 and have played extensively throughout New Zealand, Australia and the South Pacific. I have been fortunate to win several times, including winning the Papua New Guinea Open and various other tournaments.
“Playing in the Zimbabwe Open would be a great honour for me,” read part of the message that Zwart sent to the ZGA.
Zwart’s latest achievement came a few days ago when he won both the Wallace Development NZPGA Championship and the Cello NZPGA Club Professional Championship in emphatic fashion, capturing the biggest title of his career.
Zwart – who used to be a part of the Hastings Golf Club and is now a member of Waitangi Golf Club – played his final four holes in five-under-par, to leap ahead of the overnight leader Mason Lee, finishing the tournament at 15-under-par and win by a stroke.
He stood on the 15th tee at two-over-par for the day and seemingly out of contention, before his history-making effort.
After making birdies on 15 and 16, he chipped in for an eagle on the par 5 17th and rolled in a 15-foot birdie putt on the last, meaning Lee and Kobori needed to birdie the last to force extra holes.
His finish was similar to his club championship victory in 2009, when he beat club stalwart and former New Zealand Seniors champion Stuart Duff, where he finished birdie, par, eagle, and birdie.
He not only lifted the trophy for beating the 91 other professionals in the field, he also lifted the trophy awarded to the leading club professional, a title he won by a mammoth 10 strokes. -@brandon_malvin
