Chidale eases to NBS Bank Mug-of-Mugs glory
Paul Chidale played to the Country Club Limbe (CCL) course rating of 72 gross on Saturday to win his third NBS Bank Mug-of-Mugs title in seven attempts.
The handicap-five golfer carded net 67, which featured four birdies, 12 pars and a brace of bogeys, to finish up four shots ahead of second-placed James Shonga (handicap eight), who counted out Harold Lungu (handicap 10) to the third slot with net 71.
Chidale made an awful start to his campaign when he opened with a bogey, but the 24-year-old responded in true champion’s style as he birdied the third and the fifth holes to steady his nerves. Other birdies on 11th and 17th holes ensured an easy road to glory.
“I was pretty nervous at the start of the competition, but I felt a lot more confident as the game progressed. It is quite relieving that after a shaky start, I have finished my game with some incredible scores,” said Chidale, who has so far won five trophies out of a possible 15 this year.
The Mug-of-Mugs or the Winner-of-Winners event is contested by the top-three winners of 11 NBS Bank Monthly Mugs since January 2014. On Saturday, Chidale faced 20 challengers in this category.
At least 101 golfers, including 17 ladies, turned up on Saturday to compete in the Mug-of-Mugs, the December Mug, the women and senior golfers’ categories.
This was a record number of golfers to compete in one event at the CCL, according to the club’s golf captain Issa Mmadi.
Steve Chisale won the December Mug after posting net 70 while Mike Kalulu and Abool Osman finished second and third with net 72 and net 73, respectively. John Bills Kachilika finished as the best senior golfer with net 75.
Roza Mbilizi roared to glory in the women’s section with 35 points as Nickie-Ann Stanley and Sheila Chinkhandwe settled for the runner-up and third slots with 32 and 30 points respectively.
NBS Bank head of personal and business banking Mercus Chigoga thanked the golfers for patronising the event. He promised that the golf contest will be restructured next year so as to be even more exciting.
