How football injury inspired Ndaruza’s golfing dream

He might now be basking in glory after capturing the biggest win of his amateur golf career at last week’s Julius Robinson Trophy but six years ago Wingate Park Golf Club amateur golfer Munashe Ndaruza had his sights on a totally different sporting career.

Despite his father’s close links to Wingate Golf Club, the then 14 year-old keen sportsman was more interested in football.

That was until a serious injury while playing for the Hatcliffe High School team ended his hopes of becoming a footballer.

Instead the injury gave birth to a new dream of becoming a professional golfer.

“I only started having interest of playing golf after I had a leg injury while playing soccer when I was in Form one at Hatcliffe High 1. Someone pushed me from the back during a game and the opposition goalkeeper hit me on the shin. Luckily I didn’t suffer a fracture but x-rays showed there was a crack in by bone, so I had to stop playing football,” Ndaruza told ZimSportLive in an interview.

“It was only after that when I realised I after that I wanted to play golf. So I have only been playing golf for six years now,” he added.

Making the transition to the gentleman’s game was not too hard for Ndaruza. His father works as a greenkeeper at Wingate Golf Club, where he received his first lessons from the club’s well-respected veteran head professional Lewis Muridzo.

“My father is the main reason I first got involved in golf after I got injury. He is the greenkeeper at Wingate Golf Club and is also a keen golfer. When I recovered from the injury, I started going to Wingate where Mr Muridzo would invite us for lessons every Saturday. I attended the lessons for about seven weeks and after that I became a member and have never looked back.”

Over the past few years, Ndaruza has been one of the up and coming amateur golfers on the local circuit.

He got his first breakthrough when he was crowned the club champion at Wingate Golf Club last year. Ironically his father Fungai won the A Division title in the same competition.

His biggest tournament win to date however came when he clinched the prestigious Julius Robinson Trophy on his home course last Sunday.

Ndarudza carded scores of 70, 71 and 72 for a 54-hole total of three-under 213 to finish seven shots clear of Chapman Golf Club starlet Keegan Shutt, who posted scores of 72, 75 and 73 to settle for second position.

The promising young golfer who looks up to rising professional golfer Robson Chinhoi for inspiration, says his ultimate goal is to turn professional and one day play on the DP World Tour (formerly European Tour).