Morris Ndlovu
Raymond Jaravaza, Sports Correspondent
MORRIS Ndlovu, a golf caddie from the Bulawayo Country Club, shrugged off competition from 40 other participants to win the annual Caddies Golf Tournament held at the Bulawayo Golf Club on Tuesday.
The tournament now in its third year is sponsored by cement manufacturer PPC and draws caddies from the Bulawayo Country Club, Harry Allen Golf Club and Bulawayo Golf Club.
A caddie is responsible for carrying a golfer’s bag and clubs as well as giving insightful advice and moral support.
A good caddie is aware of the challenges and obstacles of the golf course being played, along with the best strategy in playing it.
The Caddies Golf Tournament is meant to show appreciation to the caddies from the three golf clubs by giving them a chance to tee off with various prizes on offer, according to PPC’s Nkosana Mapuma.
“PPC is committed to promoting sport in Zimbabwe, both at grassroots and professional level and we are particularly pleased to be associated with golf, in this instance the unsung heroes of the course, the caddies. They work hard not only as caddies but also as coaches and confidantes and PPC is happy to be able to show them that they are appreciated through the Caddies Golf Tournament,” Mapuma.
This year’s edition saw an increase in the number of caddies teeing off from 32 to 41. The president of the Caddies Association Thomas Mlilo described the tournament as challenging.
“The course wasn’t easy because of the long grass and the puddles from the recent rains,” said Mlilo.
A 76-year-old caddie Sykes Ndlovu, playing against younger competitors, stole the show when he made it into the top 10 coming in sixth position.
Each participant walked away with a food hamper courtesy of the sponsors PPC.
— @RaymondJaravaza