Soweto golf will take centre stage this weekend when two of the township’s rising young stars tee it up in President Thabo Mbeki’s Presidential Golf Classic at the lavish Woodhill Country Club in Pretoria.
Emmanuel Masoliedza and Thabiso Kwetle, both from Pimville, have been invited to take part in the inaugural Presidential Golf Classic on Saturday, March 22 in recognition of their achievements in the game.
The Presidential Golf Classic, to be hosted by President Mbeki, will bring together leaders in both government and the private sector in a bid to raise funds for golf development as well as honour the black golfers of the past.
But the participation of Masoliedza and Kwetle will also expose the growing depth of the game in South Africa. Both Masoliedza and Kwetle were targeted for development by the South African Golf Development Board (SAGDB), and have already shown tremendous potential.
Masoliedza, a ninth grader at Progress High School, was voted the Central Gauteng Player of the Year last year by the SAGDB. He has since continued to improve, taking his handicap from 14 down to eight in the last six months.
Kwetle, a 12th grader at the Thabo JHP School, finished second in the SAGDB’s medal competition held at Royal Kensington Golf Club in January with a 78 gross and 71 nett score. – Sapa