Birdie Blitz! Muyambo, Cairns blaze trail at Zim Open
Zimpapers Sports Hub
THE local boys came out swinging!
Nyasha Muyambo and seasoned pro Ryan Cairns lit up Royal Harare Golf Club on Thursday, flying Zimbabwe’s flag high with sizzling rounds of two-under-par 70s on day one of the 2025 FBC Zimbabwe Open.
The pair finished tied for 14th in a leaderboard stacked with Sunshine Tour heavyweights, keeping home hopes alive and buzzing as the fairways echoed with flair and fearless shot-making.
Muyambo, just 27, was pure fire and ice — scorching the course with seven birdies despite two double bogeys and a lone dropped shot. His aggressive play and nerveless putting drew roars from the local crowd.
“I just stuck to my plan,” said a relaxed Muyambo post-round. “There were some bad holes in there, but I knew if I kept attacking the pins, I could still post a good score. It’s about being fearless out here.”
Cairns, ever the cool customer, plotted a more measured path — five birdies, one bogey and a double, but all class from tee to green.
“I gave myself a lot of looks today and took the chances when they came,” said Cairns. “It’s always special to play well at home, especially in front of family and friends.”
At the top, it’s vintage Hennie Otto! The 14-time Sunshine Tour winner carded a scorching six-under 66, mixing eight birdies, an eagle, and a couple of stumbles — including a double bogey at the tricky 11th — in a typically rollercoaster round.
Breathing down his neck at five-under are Tyronne Ryan, Doug McGuigan, Mexico’s Luis Carrera and Aussie Austin Bautista. Carrera’s five-birdie blitz from holes two to six had jaws dropping, while Ryan bagged two eagles to set the pace.
Among the amateurs, Michael Wallace, Keegan Shutt, Tanaka Chatora and Devon Valentine lead the local charge with respectable rounds of 75. Shutt, despite battling early, showed grit.
“I was four-over through 10 and brought it back. Missed some birdie chances, but the game was there,” said Shutt. “Just got unlucky in some places.”
As the sun sets on Day One, the cut looms — and the weekend promises a fierce showdown under Zimbabwe’s crisp autumn skies.
Let the battle for the green jacket begin!
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