Absa on Tuesday renewed its commitment to Namibian golf when it announced that it would sponsor the Absa Club Championships which take place at the Windhoek Golf & Country Club on August 21 and 22.
The two-day competition is regarded as the premier event of the Windhoek Golf & Country Club and has a long history dating back to 1933. Given the recent successful hosting of the Namibia Amateur Ladies Golf Union sponsorship by Absa, a large number of golf enthusiasts are expected to register for the event.
During the sponsorship announcement at the Windhoek Golf & Country Club, Marius Alberts, the Managing Director of Absa Namibia confirmed that Absa would remain committed towards promoting, advancing and fostering the game of golf in Namibia.
The Club Captain of Windhoek Golf & Country Club, Hajo von Prittwitz congratulated Absa for their investment in Namibian golf.
“Absa Namibia takes the competition over during challenging economic conditions when most sponsors are trying to down-scale on sport investments in our country. Our commitment would be to harness, nurture and foster the sound business relationship between the two organisations and ensure that our members understand the generosity and bold step taken by Absa to guarantee the continuation of our competitive
game” he said.
“We are looking forward to a course full of golfers and spectators , since Absa is well-known for ensuring that all participants emerges as winners at the end of any tournament. The recent successful sponsorship extended to the Namibia Amateur Ladies Golf Union (NALGU) bears testimony to the aforesaid,” he added.
Francois Hanekom, who has won the title for the past three years in a row, will start as the favourite although he is expected to receive stiff competition from Namibia’s up and coming junior golfers.
Roux Jeffery, the 17-year-old son of former two-time winner Doug Jeffery, is fast becoming one of Namibia’s top golfers in his own right. This year he has already won several junior titles as well as senior titles in Gobabis and Mariental.
Other junior golfers who could also make an impact are Ruan Huyshamen and Glen de Waal.
Adri Basson holds the record for the Club Championships, having won the title on 10 occasions in the Seventies and Eighties, while Werner Lassen won it nine times over the past two decades.
In the women’s competition, Laetitia Brink will start as the favourite although Angie Lohman could also make an impact.