By NDINAWE SIMPELWE
at Lusaka Golf Club –

• JUSTICE Minister Ngosa Simbyakula (left) poses with 2016 Zambia Sugar Open winner Christofer Blomstrand (second left) as sponsors and organisers look on. Picture by GWEN CHIPASULA

SWEDISH golfer Christofer Blomstrand left it late to claim the 2016 Zambia Sugar Open after bringing home an amazing 10-under-63 on the last day to take the title on 14-under and commanding a three-shot advantage.
Blomstrand finished with a four round total of 14-under-276 and walked home with R253, 600 (K166, 000) in prize money.
At the closing awards ceremony, Republican President Edgar Lungu commended Zambia Sugar for its three-year partnership in hosting the Zambia golf open which came to the end yesterday.
James Kamte, who led on the first and third days,  saw his luck dwindle on the final day where he carded five bogeys on the front nine to let his lead slip and finish 12-under-279 to share third position behind CJ du Plessis, who finished second on 13-under-279.
Zambia’s frontrunner Madalitso Muthiya finished on four-under-288 after yesterday playing a one-under-par 72.
Blomstrand, who was competing in the championship for the first time, played his best one-round golf tournament with almost a perfect round where his only blemish was a bogey on the third hole.
Blomstrand was delighted with his performance though he admitted he needed a lot of luck to scoop the title as the course was narrow and tough.
“Actually before this tournament, I didn’t feel this good in my swing so I’m very happy standing here right now. Today was all about my putter, I changed my putting yesterday and I was kind of lucky today.
“The competition is quite tough and this is a very good tournament,” said Blomstrand who promised to return next year to defend the title.
Blomstrand, who was nowhere near the top of the leaderboard during the first three days, started the final day with a birdie on the first hole, but dropped a shot on the third.
He followed that up with two consecutive birdies before an eagle on the eighth which he followed up with another birdie to finish the front nine on five-under.
Blomstrand, who hails from Falsterbo Golf Club in Sweden, capped his day on the back nine with five more birdies to clinch the Zambia Sugar Open on his first attempt.
His closest rival, CJ du Plessis could not match the Swede’s performance after the South African carded four birdies and two bogeys to take second position, while in third was Jean-Paul Strydon and Kamte finishing on 12-under-280.
Muthiya, after starting the tournament with a three-under, played level on the second and third days, but gained a shot on the final day to end on four-under to retain his position as Zambia’s best golfer. He pocketed R11, 840.
Zambia’s other participant who made the cut, Dayne Moore finished with a disappointing six-over 298 after playing four-over-par 77 yesterday and will now focus on the KCM Zambia Open next month to be staged at Nchanga Golf Club.
And Sandra Mwila writes that President Lungu praised Zambia Sugar for the partnership with Government to promote elite sport in the country.
In a speech read for him by Justice Minister Ngosa Simbyakula, the President expressed confidence that junior golfers would in the near future compete favourably at such international events.
“I am aware that part of the proceeds from this tournament will go towards developing the junior programmes, so I believe not so into the distant future, we will have a first Zambian winner to make my country proud.
“Practise hard and compete favourably to be the Tiger Woods’ of Zambia,” the President said.
Zambia Sugar managing director Rebecca Katowa said the company’s three-year sponsorship of the Zambia Open confirms its real partnership in the development of golf.
“We have been impressed with our association with the sport at this level because we have accrued desired value and that Zambia has delivered a world-class tournament befitting the expectations of the sanctioning body, the sunshine tour,” she said.
Organising committee chairperson Roy Penny thanked everyone who was involved in putting together a successful tournament.