By SHAMAOMA MUSONDA –
CHILANGA Golf Club’s title defence and dominance comes under serious scrutiny today at the Meanwood General sponsored National Quadrangular Golf Championship in Choma.
Having won the title for the past three editions, Chilanga should be wary of the stiff challenge they will face this time around in the competition after scrapping through to this year’s final.
The Quadrangular golf tournament is the peak of inter-club golf competitions in Zambia as it brings together winners of the various regional triangular events with the overall victors taking the national bragging rights.
Chilanga will be facing their common enemies at the Quadrangular tournament in form of hosts Choma, Nkana and Nchanga.
However, Chilanga are coming from the toughest Triangular qualifying series and can look to this one with optimism despite staggering through.
Chilanga captain, John Dipa agrees that his club slid off the noose to get to the finals after Lusaka Golf Club put up a strong fight in the last leg at their home turf before they lost by a point.
After leading by 20 points after two legs, Chilanga were stunned by a vengeful Lusaka who pegged them down to the last hole before the former went away with final score of 121-120.
“We were shocked by Lusaka’s performance in the last round, we thought it was a closed issue but they came fighting like no man’s business. Instead of considering ourselves lucky to even get to the quadrangular, that will act as a wakeup call as retaining the title will be much tougher than it was winning it,” he said.
Chilanga have thrived from a strong youth programme which is bearing results and presently has 16-year-old Patrick Mwendapole junior in the team which is, however, dominated by Ndola Golf Club players.
Zambia Golf Union (ZGU) honorary secretary, Kelly Munsaka has predicted a tough tournament this time around.
“This will be a really exciting tournament because we have all teams in for a fight and also that we have brought this one to the Southern Province just adds more flavour,” he said.
