- Triangular Games involving Botswana, Zimbabwe and Zambia to precede the tournament
Debswana Diamond Company has committed P153,000 to the Botswana Ladies Open Golf tournament that is set for 2nd and 3rd September 2023 at Stanbic Bank Golf Club in Gaborone, Business Weekly Sports can reveal.
Speaking in a telephone interview, the president of the Botswana Golf Union (BGU), Modiri Phuthego, expressed gratitude for Debswana’s consistent contribution to sports in the country. “This sponsorship arrives at an opportune moment when we are actively encouraging Batswana women to engage in golf,” he said. “We extend our appreciation to Debswana for their assistance in this endeavour.”
Invitation
Phuthego took the opportunity to invite women golfers worldwide with handicaps ranging from 0 to 36, irrespective of age, to the tournament. The format of the tournament is strokeplay for handicaps 0 to 18 and stableford for handicaps 19 to 36.
Historically, this competition has drawn participation from over 80 women across the African continent, attesting to its prominence. “The tournament is a fixture on BGU’s calendar of events, the organisation values Debswana’s commitment to ensuring its continuation,” said Phuthego. Prior to the highly-anticipated Botswana Ladies Open, an event of collaboration between the BGU and the Okavango Human Wildlife Foundation is set for Kasane on 26 August.
Fundraiser
The event will serve the dual purpose of a mini-tournament and a fundraising initiative to aid people impacted by human/wildlife encounters. Phuthego underscored their dedication to this philanthropic cause. “It is a commitment we have upheld and will continue to do so.”
Also before the main tournament, BGU will host Triangular Games featuring women golfers from Botswana, Zambia, and Zimbabwe at Stanbic Bank Golf Club from 28 to 31August. “For this tournament, we have been supported by Royal and Ancient (an international organisation for golf) with P89 000,” he said. “The money will be used to ensure that the visiting golfers in the Triangular have a good stay in Botswana.”
Amateur golfers
The Triangular Games spotlight amateur golfers with handicaps falling within the 13 to 24 range categorised into two divisions. Division A encompasses handicaps 13 to 18 while Division B ranges from 19 to 24. The divisions comprise four players each and an additional reserve.
The overall player count per nation is capped at 10. The format of the game features match plays, with doubles on the first day and singles on the subsequent day. This multi-nation tournament follows a rotating host pattern, with Botswana, Zambia and Zimbabwe taking turns as hosts each year.
