De Beers Group tournament qualifier for top regional competitions

Namibian professional golfers Trevor Dodds and Ruan Huysamen, with Golf Director of the Namibia Golf Tour, Hafeni Nghinamwaami (left) and Namdeb General Manager, Riaan Burger (second from right), at the recent Namdeb Sperrgebiet Open played in Oranjemund.

 

Dodds and Huysamen were part of a group of 24 professional and 14 amateur golfers from Namibia, South Africa and Zambia who played 54 holes over three days earlier in June at the Namdeb golf course in Oranjemund.

The Namdeb and Debmarine Foundation sponsored the tournament and the prizes, together coming to a value of N$200,000. The foundation said its sponsorship for the golf tournament is part of its social commitment to sport development.

Golf Director Nghinamwaami said there are about 29 professional players in Namibia, and the Sperrgebiet Open is part of the golf tour that provides them with an opportunity to collect enough points to enter the top competitions in the region.

“Having a local tour creates opportunities for Namibian professional golfers to showcase their talent locally and internationally, thereby attracting more investment to the game, both at amateur and professional level” stated Nghinamwaami.

The professional winners were Namibian golf star Dodds, who now plays in the United States, and Ruan Huysamen, with a score of seven under par. They shared the first prize of N$60,270. Top performers in the amateur categories were Pineas Kamati, Erastus Nehoya, Raul Cloete and Hugo Korner.

Earlier this year, the Namibia Golf Tour hosted its first ever trials in Windhoek for amateur golfers who want to turn professional. Another tournament is scheduled for this month.