By FELIX MALUNGA –
THE Konkola Copper Mines (KCM) 2016 Zambia Open Golf Championship became a reality yesterday after Nchanga Golf Club finally paid R100, 000 (about K73, 000) sanctioning fee to tournament authorities, Sunshine Tour.
KCM staked $150, 000 (about K1.6 million) for prize money as title sponsors in the tournament, where as the Zambia Open Organising Committee (ZOOC) is scouting for $1 million (about K11 million) to stage the nation’s premier golf showpiece.
ZOOC chairperson Matthew Nkhuwa said in an interview in Chingola that his team deposited the sanctioning fee yesterday after Sunshine Tour sent an invoice last Friday.
Nkhuwa said with the sanctioning fee paid, the KCM Zambia Open was now a reality and that Sunshine Tour would include the tournament on its 2016 calendar.
“We have paid R100, 000 sanctioning fee to Sunshine Tour this morning (yesterday) after they sent an invoice on Friday.
“The sanctioning fee invoice was sent after Sunshine Tour inspected the golf course. So now the tournament should be on Sunshine Tour calendar,” Nkhuwa said.
Sunshine Tour allocated May 30 to June 5 as the dates for KCM Zambia Open which returns to Chingola for the third time after Nchanga previously staged the 2006 and 2011 events.
Nkhuwa said ZOOC was determined to host a memorable tournament which would be preceded by two Pro-Ams.
He appealed to all corporate institutions which pledged to support the event to honour their promises as time was fast running out.
So far Stanbic Bank and Airtel Zambia have already committed their sponsorship towards the KCM Zambia Open.
On the Nchanga course preparations, the Chingola business executive said the golf course was coming up well under the supervision of Aloysius Phiri, who is a Royal and Ancient trained green keeper.
Englishman Ross McGowan won the 2015 Zambia Open hosted by Nkana Golf Club in Kitwe after firing 13-under-par 275, two strokes better than South African, Danie van Tonder while Zambia’s torchbearer, Madalitso Muthiya finished in a distant joint 22nd on level par 288.