Zimbabwe Open

Last updated

FBC Zim Open
Tournament information
Location Harare, Zimbabwe
Established1979
Course(s)Royal Harare Golf Club
Chapman Golf Club
Par72
Length7,241 yards (6,621 m) (RH)
7,198 yards (6,582 m) (C)
Tour(s) Sunshine Tour
Challenge Tour
Safari Circuit
Format Stroke play
Prize fund R  2,500,000
Month playedMay
Tournament record score
Aggregate266 Nick Price (1995)
To par−22 as above
Current champion
Flag of South Africa.svg Michael Hollick
Location map
Zimbabwe relief location map.jpg
Icona golf.svg
Royal Harare GC
Location in Zimbabwe

The Zimbabwe Open is a professional golf tournament held in Zimbabwe, currently played on the Sunshine Tour.

Contents

History

The tournament debuted in 1984 and was part of the Safari circuit from 1985 to 1992, a series of events in Africa played by professionals from the European Tour during the winter season. In 1991 and 1992, the event was also part of the Challenge Tour. From 1993, it moved onto the First National Bank Tour, later renamed the Sunshine Tour.[ citation needed ]

When it was held in the weeks preceding the Nedbank Golf Challenge, the tournament attracted some of the world's leading players who used it as a warm up to the big money invitational. Past winners include major winners Vijay Singh and Nick Price with Mark McNulty also achieving three victories, making him one of the most successful players in the event. Past winner Gordon J. Brand represented the Ryder Cup.[ citation needed ]

Due to economic instability in Zimbabwe, the tournament lost sponsors and was cancelled prior to the 2002 event. There were many attempts to resurrect the tournament, but none were successful until 2010. [1] [2] [3] The 2019 edition was also cancelled because of a lack of sponsors caused by a weak economy. [4]

Having not been played in 2019, 2020 and 2021, the tournament returned in 2022, sponsored by FBC Bank. [5] It had been anticipated that the event would be added to the 2023 European Tour schedule. [6] However, this never came to fruition, mainly due to changes in the venue qualifying criteria set by the European Tour. It was anticipated that the tournament would become a European Tour event in 2024 instead. [7] Again, this never came to fruition.

Winners

YearTour [lower-alpha 1] WinnerScoreTo parMargin of
victory		Runner(s)-upVenueRef.
FBC Zim Open
2024 AFR Flag of South Africa.svg Michael Hollick 268−202 strokes Flag of South Africa.svg Darren Fichardt Royal Harare
2023 AFR Flag of South Africa.svg Neil Schietekat 277−114 strokes Flag of South Africa.svg Jaco Ahlers
Flag of South Africa.svg Jacques P. de Villiers
Flag of Greece.svg Peter Karmis 		Royal Harare [8]
2022 AFR Flag of South Africa.svg Albert Venter 278−10Playoff Flag of South Africa.svg Louis Albertse
Flag of South Africa.svg Stefan Wears-Taylor 		Royal Harare [9]
Zimbabwe Open
2021: No tournament
2020 AFR No tournament due to the COVID-19 pandemic
2019 AFR Cancelled due to lack of funding [10]
Old Mutual Zimbabwe Open
2018 AFR Flag of South Africa.svg Bryce Easton 272−161 stroke Flag of South Africa.svg Daniel van Tonder Royal Harare
Zimbabwe Open
2017 AFR Flag of South Africa.svg J. C. Ritchie 272−16Playoff Flag of South Africa.svg Trevor Fisher Jnr Royal Harare
Golden Pilsener Zimbabwe Open
2016 AFR Flag of South Africa.svg Lyle Rowe 277−112 strokes Flag of South Africa.svg Dylan Frittelli Royal Harare
2015 AFR Flag of South Africa.svg Dean Burmester 272−161 stroke Flag of Brazil.svg Adilson da Silva Royal Harare
2014 AFR Flag of South Africa.svg Jbe' Kruger (2)270−181 stroke Flag of South Africa.svg Jacques Blaauw Royal Harare
2013 AFR Flag of South Africa.svg Jake Roos 274−141 stroke Flag of South Africa.svg Darren Fichardt
Flag of Italy.svg Francesco Laporta 		Royal Harare
2012 AFR Flag of South Africa.svg Chris Swanepoel 273−15Playoff Flag of South Africa.svg Trevor Fisher Jnr Royal Harare
Africom Zimbabwe Open
2011 AFR Flag of South Africa.svg Theunis Spangenberg 201 [lower-alpha 2] −152 strokes Flag of South Africa.svg Matthew Carvell Royal Harare
2010 AFR Flag of South Africa.svg Jbe' Kruger 269−192 strokes Flag of South Africa.svg Jaco van Zyl Royal Harare
2002–2009: No tournament
CABS/Old Mutual Zimbabwe Open
2001 AFR Flag of South Africa.svg Darren Fichardt 275−133 strokes Flag of South Africa.svg Mark Murless
Flag of South Africa.svg Bradford Vaughan 		Chapman
2000 AFR Flag of Zimbabwe.svg Mark McNulty (3)269−191 stroke Flag of South Africa.svg Jean Hugo Royal Harare
Zimbabwe Open
1999 AFR Flag of South Africa.svg Jean Hugo 271−172 strokes Flag of South Africa.svg Ulrich van den Berg Chapman
1998 AFR Flag of Zimbabwe.svg Nick Price (3)271−175 strokes Flag of South Africa.svg Tjaart van der Walt Royal Harare
1997 AFR Flag of Zimbabwe.svg Nick Price (2)269−192 strokes Flag of Zimbabwe.svg Mark McNulty
Flag of South Africa.svg Brenden Pappas 		Chapman
1996 AFR Flag of Zimbabwe.svg Mark McNulty (2)270−184 strokes Flag of South Africa.svg Justin Hobday
Flag of Zimbabwe.svg Nick Price 		Chapman
1995 AFR Flag of Zimbabwe.svg Nick Price 266−221 stroke Flag of South Africa.svg Brenden Pappas Royal Harare
1994 AFR Flag of South Africa.svg Chris Williams 272−16Playoff Flag of the United States.svg Andrew Pitts Royal Harare
1993 AFR Flag of Zimbabwe.svg Tony Johnstone 273−158 strokes Flag of South Africa (1982-1994).svg Nic Henning
Flag of South Africa (1982-1994).svg James Kingston 		Chapman
1992 CHA Flag of Zimbabwe.svg Mark McNulty 272−169 strokes Flag of Zimbabwe.svg Tony Johnstone Royal Harare [11]
1991 CHA Flag of England.svg Keith Waters 282−6Playoff Flag of Zimbabwe.svg Nick Price
Flag of England.svg Grant Turner 		Chapman [12]
1990SAF Flag of England.svg Grant Turner 281−71 stroke Flag of England.svg Lee Jones Chapman [13]
1989SAF Flag of Fiji.svg Vijay Singh 282−62 strokes Flag of Wales (1959-present).svg Mark Mouland Chapman [14]
1988SAF Flag of England.svg Roger Chapman 275 [lower-alpha 3] −61 stroke Flag of Fiji.svg Vijay Singh Chapman [15] [16]
1987SAF Flag of England.svg Gordon J. Brand 277−11Playoff Flag of England.svg Andrew Murray Royal Harare [17]
1986SAF Flag of England.svg Stephen Bennett 277−112 strokes Flag of New Zealand.svg Stuart Reese Royal Harare [18]
1985SAF Flag of England.svg Malcolm MacKenzie 281−73 strokes Flag of Wales (1959-present).svg David Llewellyn Chapman [19]
1984 Flag of Zimbabwe.svg Anderson Rusike (a)Royal Harare
1981–1983: No tournament
1980 AFR Flag of South Africa (1928-1982).svg Hugh Baiocchi 279−9Playoff Flag of South Africa (1928-1982).svg Allan Henning
Flag of Zimbabwe.svg Denis Watson 		Bulawayo
Zimbabwe-Rhodesia Open
1979 AFR Flag of South Africa (1928-1982).svg Simon Hobday 275−13Playoff Flag of Zimbabwe Rhodesia.svg Denis Watson Chapman

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ AFR − Sunshine Tour; CHA − Challenge Tour; SAF − Safari Circuit.
  2. ↑ Shortened to 54 holes due to weather.
  3. ↑ Two holes were unplayable on day one.

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References

  1. ↑ "Zimbabwe Open to bounce back". Zimbabwe Independent. 30 July 2004. Archived from the original on 22 January 2009. Retrieved 4 December 2008.
  2. ↑ "Zim Open hits a bunker". Zimbabwe Standard. 13 June 2005. Retrieved 6 February 2020.
  3. ↑ "Zimbabwe Open to bounce back". Zimbabwe Herald. 10 October 2009. Retrieved 22 January 2010.
  4. ↑ "Financiers pull plug on Zim Open". 25 July 2019.
  5. ↑ "FBC Sponsors 2022 Zimbabwe Open Golf Tournament". FBC Bank Limited. 14 April 2022. Retrieved 28 April 2022.
  6. ↑ "Zim Open set to earn DP World Tour status". Zimbabwe Independent. 14 April 2022. Retrieved 28 April 2022.
  7. ↑ "FBC Zim Open organisers eye DP World Tour status in 2024". The Standard. Zimbabwe. 16 April 2023. Retrieved 26 April 2023.
  8. ↑ Vlismas, Michael (7 May 2023). "Schietekat back in winner's circle". SuperSport. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
  9. ↑ "SA's Venter wins FBC Zim Open title". NewsDay. 23 May 2022. Retrieved 15 July 2022.
  10. ↑ Chitsiga, Takudzwa (11 July 2019). "Zim Open tourney cancelled again". The Chronicle. Zimbabwe. Retrieved 15 July 2022.
  11. ↑ "Zim golfers stage big win" (PDF). The Namibian . 16 January 1992. p. 11.
  12. ↑ "Scunthorpe's Waters on the crest of a wave". The Guardian . 14 January 1991. p. 15.
  13. ↑ "England's Grant Turner". The Herald . Glasgow. 15 January 1990. p. 19.
  14. ↑ "In Harare, Zimbabwe". The Sydney Morning Herald . 31 January 1989. p. 41.
  15. ↑ "Roger Chapman". The Herald . Glasgow. 22 February 1988. p. 10.
  16. ↑ "Richard Fish". The Herald . Glasgow. 19 February 1988. p. 39.
  17. ↑ "Tournament favourite". The Herald . Glasgow. 23 February 1987. p. 10.
  18. ↑ "Zimbabwe Open goes to Bennett by two strokes". The Herald . Glasgow. 24 March 1986. p. 13.
  19. ↑ "Mackenzie hooks his way to victory". The Herald . Glasgow. 1 April 1985. p. 13.
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