Ezulwini– More than 70 local golfers are competing for a place in the fifth edition of the FNB Eswatini Challenge, with only 12 players set to book their places in the main tournament through the pre-qualifying rounds currently under way at Ezulwini Golf and Country Club.
The three-day pre-qualifiers, organised by the Eswatini Professional Golfers Association (EPGA), got underway on Wednesday and will conclude tomorrow with a prize-giving ceremony. At the end of the competition, 10 professionals and two amateurs will secure places in the main tournament, joining three emaSwati who are already members of the Sunshine Tour to make a local contingent of 15 players.
EPGA President Musa Mdluli said the large number of entrants reflected the growing interest in golf among emaSwati.
“We have been pleasantly surprised to see so many emaSwati show interest in playing in the Challenge. To us, it shows that golf in Eswatini is rapidly growing. It also shows the stature of the FNB Eswatini Challenge as a premier golf tournament in Eswatini that everyone wants to play in,” he said.
FNB Eswatini Chief Marketing Officer Sibusile Dlamini said the turnout was encouraging and showed that more emaSwati were embracing the sport.
“As a business, we have committed to taking our Help to all emaSwati. We want more emaSwati to take up the sport of golf and for the game to continue growing. It is exciting to see emaSwati coming in their numbers to play in the pre-qualifiers, and we cannot wait to see who makes the cut for the main tournament,” she said.
She said the bank wants the tournament to contribute to the growth of golf in Eswatini and the region.
The main tournament will be held at Ezulwini Golf and Country Club from August 11 to 15 and will be preceded by a two-day Pro-Am, where the bank’s clients and stakeholders will play alongside selected professional golfers.
This year’s edition carries a record E2.5 million prize purse, making it the richest tournament in the event’s history.
FNB Eswatini has also set aside E60 000 to reward the three best-performing local golfers during the tournament.
Tournament week will also feature a Junior Golf Day, giving children an opportunity to experience the sport and interact with professional golfers.
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