HARARE — The Royal Harare Golf Club is abuzz with activity as 72 golfers, including three women, compete in the final round of the 2024 Pro-AM NAC Golf Tournament, a pivotal event supporting HIV and cancer prevention initiatives.
The National Aids Council’s annual tournament, boasting a prize fund of US$42,000 for the men’s Pro AM and US$6,000 for the ladies Pro AM, has reached its climax today after two rounds of intense competition.
Veteran golfer Robson Chinhoi, a previous champion, is currently leading with an impressive 11 under par overall, having scored rounds of 69 and 66, and is two under par in the third round. The Royal Harare Golf Club based golfer’s performance in the first six holes today has him on track with a tournament score of 157.
Hot on his heels is Bulawayo Golf Club’s Brian Gondo, who is in second place with a tournament score of 9 under par, thanks to his remarkable opening rounds of 68 and 67. Visitor Mapwanya of Chapman Golf Club trails in third place with a score of 162, five strokes behind the leader.
The winner of the tournament will receive US$7,140, representing 17 percent of the total prize fund. The runner-up will take home US$4,830, while the third-place finisher will earn US$2,898, which is 6.9 percent of the prize fund. The top female golfer will be awarded US$1,000.
This tournament has become a cornerstone of NAC’s fundraising efforts, uniting partners and the community to gather resources for combating cancer.
Challenges such as low community awareness, which leads to late-stage cancer diagnoses and increased mortality, inadequate funding, and limited service coverage in remote areas, are being addressed through the funds raised.
Previous tournaments have enabled NAC to provide over 20 cervical cancer screening machines to designated health centers, marking significant progress in the nation’s healthcare outreach.
