By FELIX MALUNGA –
ZAMBIA’S top golfer, Madalitso Muthiya yesterday shot three-under-par 69 to make a cut into the final round of the R1 million-rich (about K618, 500) Lombard Insurance Classic in Swaziland.
Muthiya, now with a combined gross score of nine-under-par 134 after two rounds, beat the cut of point by eight strokes at the Royal Swazi Sun Country Club in Ezulwini Valley and trail Day Two leader, Dean Burmester of South Africa by seven shots.
The 32-year-old Lusaka golfer, fresh from reaping his highest career pay of  €6,500 (about K53,300) from the just-ended AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open Championship, will be heading into today’s final round on this hilly terrain tied for 11th with South Africans, Mark Murless and Rourke van der Spuy.
Yesterday, Muthiya only dropped two shots on the number three and 11 and stayed a stroke behind a five-man group which includes 2014 Mopani Zambia Open champion, Wallie Coetsee.
First round overnight leader, Jared Harvey slipped to second on 15-under-par 128, a stroke behind compatriot Burmester.
However, luck was not on three former Zambia Open winners, Desvonde Botes, Justin Harding and Lyle Rowe as they all failed to make a cut.
Other prominent figures who failed the Swazi examinations include Allan Versfeld, the winner of a Jeep Cherokee at the 2014 Zambia Open Championship where he sunk a hole-in-one, Toto Thimba Jnr, Chris Swanepoel, CJ du Plessis, Mark Williams and veteran hole-in-one expert, Andre Cruse.