WINDHOEK – Five Namibian hopefuls will be among the representatives of 14 countries hunting the cool N$110 950 winner’s cheque after the fourth MTC Namibia PGA Championship teed off at the Windhoek Country Club yesterday.
Fifteen-time international winner Trevor Dodds will spearhead the local charge alongside compatriot and resident pro Alex Williams and will be a popular winner with the native crowds in a tournament he has supported for the last three years. “Every year I come I am positive and hopeful that this will be year I get to take the trophy home,” said Dodds.”And the boys can rest assured, I won’t leave without a good fight.”But the former SA Open champion and PGA Tour winner will have his job cut out to beat the rest of the field to the winner’s podium.The record high prize money of N$700 000 has drawn a strong field of 135 players that boasts a collection of 37 Sunshine Tour winners, including past champions Mark Murless (2004) and Thomas Aiken (2005).The smart money is on one of the 20-or so leading Order of Merit players to challenge for the trophy, but there are a couple of dark horses who might throw a lively spanner in the works.2006 SAA Open Pro-Am Invitational winner Tongoona Charamba returned to South Africa recently after winning the First Stage of European Tour Qualifying School at Oxfordshire.This followed on the back of a stint to his native country, Zimbabwe, where he campaigned successfully on his local Tour and tops the ZPGA Order of Merit.Young guns Josh Cunliffe, Ross Wellington, Grant Veenstra, Shaun Norris, Trevor Fisher Jnr and rookie Neil Schietekat have also brought their A-game, having joined Charamba in advancing to the Second Stage next month.Among the rookies, Christiaan Basson and Jb’e Kruger are both looking for a maiden win to boost a strong climb on the rankings ahead of the co-sanctioned events in December.The talented Pretoria powerhouse has great incentive to sparkle at Windhoek Country Club as he is paired with seven-time winner, Bradford Vaughan and Zimbabwe’s Charamba for the opening two rounds.Ranked 21st on the current money list, Coetzee claimed his maiden pro title at the Vodacom Origins of Golf Tour in Kwazulu Natal in only his third month on the pro-circuit.Hennie Otto and Ulrich van den Berg, the strongest two challengers in this week’s line-up, still have their goals firmly in sight.In-form Otto is third on the current Order of Merit and just N$4 000 and some change behind second placed Louis Oosthuizen.The Boksburg Bomber is strongly tipped to take his Sunshine Tour titles to eight after a victory at the Vodacom Origins of Golf Tour Gauteng earlier this season and eight top-10 finishes this season, including three thirds – Joburg Open, Vodacom Origins of Golf Tour Kwazulu Natal and the Telkom PGA Pro-Am.”Every year I come I am positive and hopeful that this will be year I get to take the trophy home,” said Dodds.”And the boys can rest assured, I won’t leave without a good fight.”But the former SA Open champion and PGA Tour winner will have his job cut out to beat the rest of the field to the winner’s podium.The record high prize money of N$700 000 has drawn a strong field of 135 players that boasts a collection of 37 Sunshine Tour winners, including past champions Mark Murless (2004) and Thomas Aiken (2005).The smart money is on one of the 20-or so leading Order of Merit players to challenge for the trophy, but there are a couple of dark horses who might throw a lively spanner in the works.2006 SAA Open Pro-Am Invitational winner Tongoona Charamba returned to South Africa recently after winning the First Stage of European Tour Qualifying School at Oxfordshire.This followed on the back of a stint to his native country, Zimbabwe, where he campaigned successfully on his local Tour and tops the ZPGA Order of Merit.Young guns Josh Cunliffe, Ross Wellington, Grant Veenstra, Shaun Norris, Trevor Fisher Jnr and rookie Neil Schietekat have also brought their A-game, having joined Charamba in advancing to the Second Stage next month.Among the rookies, Christiaan Basson and Jb’e Kruger are both looking for a maiden win to boost a strong climb on the rankings ahead of the co-sanctioned events in December.The talented Pretoria powerhouse has great incentive to sparkle at Windhoek Country Club as he is paired with seven-time winner, Bradford Vaughan and Zimbabwe’s Charamba for the opening two rounds.Ranked 21st on the current money list, Coetzee claimed his maiden pro title at the Vodacom Origins of Golf Tour in Kwazulu Natal in only his third month on the pro-circuit.Hennie Otto and Ulrich van den Berg, the strongest two challengers in this week’s line-up, still have their goals firmly in sight.In-form Otto is third on the current Order of Merit and just N$4 000 and some change behind second placed Louis Oosthuizen.The Boksburg Bomber is strongly tipped to take his Sunshine Tour titles to eight after a victory at the Vodacom Origins of Golf Tour Gauteng earlier this season and eight top-10 finishes this season, including three thirds – Joburg Open, Vodacom Origins of Golf Tour Kwazulu Natal and the Telkom PGA Pro-Am.
