. Muthiya

By SHAMAOMA MUSONDA –
ZAMBIA star golfer Madalitso Muthiya hit three straight birdies on the back nine on his way to finishing three shots off the pace with two-under-par 70 at the Vodacom Origins of Golf presented by Samsung at St Francis Links Golf Course in South Africa.
Muthiya had started the back nine in the worst possible way with a bogey which was in addition to a bogey on the last hole of the front nine.
But Muthiya roared like a lion responding with birdies on holes number 12, 13 and 14 before dropping one shot on the 16th to be placed in joint 13th on the log led by the South African quartet that includes Jean Hugo, who had a five-under-par 67 on an opening day of low scoring.
Muthiya, who represents Lusaka Golf Club, had a solid start where he played par on the opening five holes before a par on the seventh sandwiched a birdie each on the sixth and eighth holes.
With leader Jean Hugo finishing on five-under, the pressure of the prospects seemed to get to Muthiya as he dropped a shot each on the following two holes to leave him in an uncomfortable position.
Zambia’s other representative tournament, Dayne Moore finished with two-over-par 74 after enduring a shaky start.
Moore recorded a bogey each on the first two holes and was three-over after the eighth hole with the opening day looking like it would be disastrous.
But the Ndola golfer steadied his game after that to register eight straight pars before a birdie on the 17th helped him reduce the deficit to two under and finished off with a level on the par-four 18th hole.
Having felt the course on a sunny day, Moore should be able to improve his game today and beat the cut.