FBC Zim Open
Tournament information
LocationHarare, Zimbabwe
Established1979
Course(s)Royal Harare Golf Club
Chapman Golf Club
Par72
Length7,241 yards (6,621 m) (RH)
7,198 yards (6,582 m) (C)
Tour(s)Sunshine Tour
Challenge Tour
Safari Circuit
FormatStroke play
Prize fundR 2,200,000
Month playedMay
Tournament record score
Aggregate266 Nick Price (1995)
To par−22 as above
Current champion
South Africa Neil Schietekat
Location Map
Royal Harare GC is located in Zimbabwe
Royal Harare GC
Royal Harare GC
Location in Zimbabwe

The Zimbabwe Open is a professional golf tournament held in Zimbabwe, currently played on the Sunshine Tour.

History

The tournament debuted in 1984 and was part of the Safari circuit from 1985 to 1992, a series of events in Africa played by professionals from the European Tour during the winter season. In 1991 and 1992, the event was also part of the Challenge Tour. From 1993, it moved onto the First National Bank Tour, later renamed the Sunshine Tour.

When it was held in the weeks preceding the Nedbank Golf Challenge, the tournament attracted some of the world's leading players who used it as a warm up to the big money invitational. Past winners include major winners Vijay Singh and Nick Price with Mark McNulty also achieving three victories, making him one of the most successful players in the event. Past winner Gordon J. Brand represented the Ryder Cup.

Due to economic instability in Zimbabwe, the tournament lost sponsors and was cancelled prior to the 2002 event. There were many attempts to resurrect the tournament, but none were successful until 2010.[1][2][3] The 2019 edition was also cancelled because of a lack of sponsors caused by a weak economy.[4]

Having not been played in 2019, 2020 and 2021, the tournament returned in 2022, sponsored by FBC Bank.[5] It had been anticipated that the event would be added to the 2023 European Tour schedule.[6] However, this never came to fruition, mainly due to changes in the venue qualifying criteria set by the European Tour. It is anticipated that the tournament will become a European Tour event in 2024 instead.[7]

Winners

YearTour[lower-alpha 1]WinnerScoreTo parMargin of
victory		Runner(s)-upVenueRef.
FBC Zim Open
2023AFRSouth Africa Neil Schietekat277−114 strokesSouth Africa Jaco Ahlers
South Africa Jacques P. de Villiers
Greece Peter Karmis		Royal Harare[8]
2022AFRSouth Africa Albert Venter278−10PlayoffSouth Africa Louis Albertse
South Africa Stefan Wears-Taylor		Royal Harare[9]
Zimbabwe Open
2021: No tournament
2020AFRNo tournament due to the COVID-19 pandemic
2019AFRCancelled due to lack of funding[10]
Old Mutual Zimbabwe Open
2018AFRSouth Africa Bryce Easton272−161 strokeSouth Africa Daniel van TonderRoyal Harare
Zimbabwe Open
2017AFRSouth Africa J. C. Ritchie272−16PlayoffSouth Africa Trevor Fisher JnrRoyal Harare
Golden Pilsener Zimbabwe Open
2016AFRSouth Africa Lyle Rowe277−112 strokesSouth Africa Dylan FrittelliRoyal Harare
2015AFRSouth Africa Dean Burmester272−161 strokeBrazil Adilson da SilvaRoyal Harare
2014AFRSouth Africa Jbe' Kruger (2)270−181 strokeSouth Africa Jacques BlaauwRoyal Harare
2013AFRSouth Africa Jake Roos274−141 strokeSouth Africa Darren Fichardt
Italy Francesco Laporta		Royal Harare
2012AFRSouth Africa Chris Swanepoel273−15PlayoffSouth Africa Trevor Fisher JnrRoyal Harare
Africom Zimbabwe Open
2011AFRSouth Africa Theunis Spangenberg201[lower-alpha 2]−152 strokesSouth Africa Matthew CarvellRoyal Harare
2010AFRSouth Africa Jbe' Kruger269−192 strokesSouth Africa Jaco van ZylRoyal Harare
2002–2009: No tournament
CABS/Old Mutual Zimbabwe Open
2001AFRSouth Africa Darren Fichardt275−133 strokesSouth Africa Mark Murless
South Africa Bradford Vaughan		Chapman
2000AFRZimbabwe Mark McNulty (3)269−191 strokeSouth Africa Jean HugoRoyal Harare
Zimbabwe Open
1999AFRSouth Africa Jean Hugo271−172 strokesSouth Africa Ulrich van den BergChapman
1998AFRZimbabwe Nick Price (3)271−175 strokesSouth Africa Tjaart van der WaltRoyal Harare
1997AFRZimbabwe Nick Price (2)269−192 strokesZimbabwe Mark McNulty
South Africa Brenden Pappas		Chapman
1996AFRZimbabwe Mark McNulty (2)270−184 strokesSouth Africa Justin Hobday
Zimbabwe Nick Price		Chapman
1995AFRZimbabwe Nick Price266−221 strokeSouth Africa Brenden PappasRoyal Harare
1994AFRSouth Africa Chris Williams272−16PlayoffUnited States Andrew PittsRoyal Harare
1993AFRZimbabwe Tony Johnstone273−158 strokesSouth Africa Nic Henning
South Africa James Kingston		Chapman
1992CHAZimbabwe Mark McNulty272−169 strokesZimbabwe Tony JohnstoneRoyal Harare[11]
1991CHAEngland Keith Waters282−6PlayoffZimbabwe Nick Price
England Grant Turner		Chapman[12]
1990SAFEngland Grant Turner281−71 strokeEngland Lee JonesChapman[13]
1989SAFFiji Vijay Singh282−62 strokesWales Mark MoulandChapman[14]
1988SAFEngland Roger Chapman275[lower-alpha 3]−61 strokeFiji Vijay SinghChapman[15][16]
1987SAFEngland Gordon J. Brand277−11PlayoffEngland Andrew MurrayRoyal Harare[17]
1986SAFEngland Stephen Bennett277−112 strokesNew Zealand Stuart ReeseRoyal Harare[18]
1985SAFEngland Malcolm MacKenzie281−73 strokesWales David LlewellynChapman[19]
1984Zimbabwe Anderson Rusike (a)Royal Harare
1981–1983: No tournament
1980AFRSouth Africa Hugh Baiocchi279−9PlayoffSouth Africa Allan Henning
Zimbabwe Denis Watson		Bulawayo
Zimbabwe-Rhodesia Open
1979AFRSouth Africa Simon Hobday275−13PlayoffZimbabwe Rhodesia Denis WatsonChapman

Notes

  1. ↑ AFR − Sunshine Tour; CHA − Challenge Tour; SAF − Safari Circuit.
  2. ↑ Shortened to 54 holes due to weather.
  3. ↑ Two holes were unplayable on day one.

References

  1. ↑ "Zimbabwe Open to bounce back". Zimbabwe Independent. 30 July 2004. Archived from the original on 22 January 2009. Retrieved 4 December 2008.
  2. ↑ "Zim Open hits a bunker". Zimbabwe Standard. 13 June 2005. Retrieved 6 February 2020.
  3. ↑ "Zimbabwe Open to bounce back". Zimbabwe Herald. 10 October 2009. Retrieved 22 January 2010.
  4. ↑ "Financiers pull plug on Zim Open". 25 July 2019.
  5. ↑ "FBC Sponsors 2022 Zimbabwe Open Golf Tournament". FBC Bank Limited. 14 April 2022. Retrieved 28 April 2022.
  6. ↑ "Zim Open set to earn DP World Tour status". Zimbabwe Independent. 14 April 2022. Retrieved 28 April 2022.
  7. ↑ "FBC Zim Open organisers eye DP World Tour status in 2024". The Standard. Zimbabwe. 16 April 2023. Retrieved 26 April 2023.
  8. ↑ Vlismas, Michael (7 May 2023). "Schietekat back in winner's circle". SuperSport. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
  9. ↑ "SA's Venter wins FBC Zim Open title". NewsDay. 23 May 2022. Retrieved 15 July 2022.
  10. ↑ Chitsiga, Takudzwa (11 July 2019). "Zim Open tourney cancelled again". The Chronicle. Zimbabwe. Retrieved 15 July 2022.
  11. ↑ "Zim golfers stage big win" (PDF). The Namibian. 16 January 1992. p. 11.
  12. ↑ "Scunthorpe's Waters on the crest of a wave". The Guardian. 14 January 1991. p. 15.
  13. ↑ "England's Grant Turner". The Herald. Glasgow. 15 January 1990. p. 19.
  14. ↑ "In Harare, Zimbabwe". The Sydney Morning Herald. 31 January 1989. p. 41.
  15. ↑ "Roger Chapman". The Herald. Glasgow. 22 February 1988. p. 10.
  16. ↑ "Richard Fish". The Herald. Glasgow. 19 February 1988. p. 39.
  17. ↑ "Tournament favourite". The Herald. Glasgow. 23 February 1987. p. 10.
  18. ↑ "Zimbabwe Open goes to Bennett by two strokes". The Herald. Glasgow. 24 March 1986. p. 13.
  19. ↑ "Mackenzie hooks his way to victory". The Herald. Glasgow. 1 April 1985. p. 13.
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