Veteran Zimbabwean professional golfer Julius Kamalizeni stole the show in the second round of the FBC Zimbabwe Open after making a memorable hole in one at Chapman Golf Club on Friday.
The Wingate Park Golf Club-based professional shot a hole in one with a six-iron at the 171-meter par-three second hole.
It was his second career hole-in-one for Kamalizeni, who seems to relish the big moments.
He scored his first ace during the first round of the Eisenhower Trophy at Stellenbosch Golf Club in October, 2006 in South Africa playing alongside future world number one Rory McIlroy who was representing Northern Ireland.
“I’m happy that I scored my second hole in one in such a big event such as the FBC Zim Open. I was feeling good, I had made par on the first hole and all of a sudden I made the hole in one. It brought me back in the tournament but it also got to my head,” Kamalizeni said.
The well-respected Zimbabwe pro, who had a glittering amateur career was however unable to make the cut after carding a five-over-par 77 to follow up his opening round 79 on Thursday.
Kamalizeni was also unlucky as his hole-in-one came at Chapman and not at Royal Harare Golf Club where there is a Jaguar E-pace Limited Edition for the player who makes a hole in one on the par-three second hole.
A Land Rover Discovery 3.0 Diesel HSE Luxury vehicle will also be won by the player who lands the first eagle on the par-four 18th hole at Royal Harare Golf Club throughout the four days.
Away from Kamalizeni’s memorable ace, South Africa’s rising star Luca Filippi, playing flawless golf, took advantage of the favourable conditions at Chapman Golf Club to card a spectacular seven-under-par 65 and take a commanding six-shot lead at the halfway mark of the FBC Zimbabwe Open.
After starting his campaign with a 68 at Royal Harare Golf Club on Thursday, Filippi a former winner of the All Africa Junior Challenge individual title on the same course five years ago took a particular liking to the Chapman layout.
After playing the front nine at level par, Filippi exploded into action with successive birdies on the 11th and 12th holes, an eagle on the par-five 14th, and further birdies on 16 and 18.
“I played nicely from the start, even though I was only one-under on the front nine,” Filippi said. “I had some nice opportunities for birdie and then missed a short one on 10, but it was great to then start making putts. I was especially happy about my eagle on 14 because I had only played the par fives in level par on the front.
The 23-year-old will start the third round with a healthy four-shot lead ahead of compatriot Louis de Jager, who is on six-under-par after identical rounds of 69 in the opening two rounds.
After starting the tournament with a spectacular 65 at Royal Harare Golf Club, overnight leader Louis Albertse found the going tough at nearby Chapman after signing for a two-over-par 74 in the second round.
Also on five-under-par are Zambia’s Madalitso Muthiya, the South African duo of Jaco Alhers, Albert Venter and American Dan Erickson.
Royal Harare Golf Club top professional Ryan Cairns is the highest placed Zimbabwean golfer in a tie for 10th position after carding a two-under-par 70 at Chapman Golf Club for a 36-hole total of three-under-par.
Cairns is only one of two Zimbabwean professional golfers, who finished the opening two rounds with red numbers along with Nyasha Muyambo, who followed up his level par round of 72 in the opening round with a 71 for a total of one-under-par 71.
In total 12 Zimbabwean golfers made the 36 hole cut which was set at +4 with two of them being junior golfers Keegan Shutt and Michel Wallace, who are both in the running for the amateur trophy.