MBABANE – Nkonyeni Golf Estate is ready to host the much-publicised FNB Eswatini Challenge scheduled to start from tomorrow, right up to Saturday.
Dubbed Eswatini’s biggest and most lucrative golf competition, the challenge will start with two Pro-Amateurs (Pro-Ams) tomorrow and on Wednesday featuring some of the 120 professional golfers and invited amateurs consisting of FNB clients and key stakeholders. It is expected that each fourball will consist of a professional and three amateurs.
practice
The professional golfers use the Pro-Ams as practice sessions to familiarise themselves with the Sunshine Tour course, while for the local amateurs, this has become a sought-after experience to the tournament week calendar. The Pro-Ams are not only seen as an opportunity to play in a tournament-like setting, but to also access on-the-green tips and guidance on how to elevate and tweak their technique from the professional golfers they normally watch on television. About 15 of the 120 professionals will be local golfers, while the rest will come from South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Portugal, Greece, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America.
Director of Golf at Nkonyeni Estate Frans Strauss indicated that there was a site inspection about two weeks ago during which the Sunshine Tour endorsed the 18-hole championship course, which has beautiful views bordering the Great Usuthu River. “All is well on our side, and we are ready to successfully host the big tournament for the entire five days, starting with the Pro-Ams right up to the final day on Saturday,” Strauss said. “The course is in a fantastic condition, and the players will without doubt enjoy the game and be able to display their skills,” he said. Strauss said by last week they were manning the final preparations. As a result, the course was closed to the public. He said they were speeding up the greens, among other finishing touches.
fantastic
“The course was fantastic during the tournament’s inaugural event, and we aim to make it even better this time. We received positive feedback from the professional players last year that they enjoyed the tournament, and we are committed to preserving that experience for them this year too. As this is the second edition, we must surpass our previous efforts and continue to enhance the overall experience,” he stressed. Nkonyeni Residential Golf Estate already features one world-class championship golf course, designed by Phil Jacobs previously associated with the Gary Player Group. The course was further constructed by Robert Richardson from Tee to Green Projects. The golf course winds its way through the exclusive wildlife sanctuary, offering both seasoned and novice players a one-of-a-kind encounter at the final hole. This exceptional experience involves taking a shot across the Usuthu River onto an island encircled by breathtaking rocks.
