Scott Vincent has already proved himself to be undoubtedly one of the most gifted players to come out of Zimbabwe’s golfing ranks in recent years.
But what many people don’t know about the 30-year-old Harare-born golf sensation is that he is also an amazing human being.
Humble and down-to-earth are just some of the few complimentary words used to describe Vincent by those who have had the honour to interact with “Mhondoro”, as he is affectionately known in Zimbabwean golf circles.
He might have missed the cut in his maiden appearance at a major golf tournament but Vincent personified some of the sport’s core values such as honesty, integrity, sportsmanship, respect, courtesy and judgment during his visit to the home of golf in St Andrews, Scotland.
Vincent, a devout Christian didn’t let his desire to impress on his major appearance get in the way of his faith, even when his honesty would cost him a chance to play the weekend at The 150th Open after a self-called penalty on Friday left him one stroke outside the cutline.
After an incident which was missed by the rules officials and television replays, the Zimbabwean docked himself two strokes despite making a birdie on the 16th green. He made pars on the last two holes to shoot 76 for a 36-hole total of one-over-par-145, missing the cut by a stroke.
Scott’s young brother Kieran, who is in his first season as a pro on the Canadian Tour, carried his brother’s bag during his debut at The Open and was impressed by his honesty.
“As one of the best sporting events comes to an end and Cameron Smith is crowned, it was just so hard to look past the unforgettable moments. This golf tournament united many supporters together, my family included, bringing us to golf’s iconic venue,” Kieran wrote on his Instagram page.
“But what stood out was the Gentleman who asked me to share the fairways with him this week. He showed why he deserved to be playing in golf’s biggest stage. Even in the face of adversity, he allowed God’s light to shine through, by calling a two-shot penalty on himself, late on Friday’s round. We are reminded that our faith will be tested at any time and Scott Vincent (@scottivino) didn’t allow the occasion to define who he was. He remained a coffee bean. #proud.”