Tanzania golfers to compete in Lina’s Pro-Am Tour events

Dar es Salaam. The inaugural Lina Professional Golf Tour will tee off on February 29 and run to March 3 at the TPC Club golf course in Moshi.

The 72- hole stroke play tournament, exclusively for Tanzanian professionals and amateur golfers, has been introduced in honour of the late Lina Said Nkya, also known as Mother Golfer, who passed away on January 19, 2021, in Moshi, Kilimanjaro Region.

According to a statement, the tournament will be launched on February 28 with a seminar and the final registration taking place ahead of its debut. The second event, as per the statement, is scheduled for April

11 to 14 at the Sea Cliff Golf Resort and Spa in Zanzibar, while the third event is set for July 11 to 14 at the Arusha Gymkhana Club.

The schedule shows that the fourth event will be held at the Moshi Club golf course from September 26 to 29, and the grand finale is scheduled to take place at the Dar es Salaam golf course.

“This prestigious Lina Tour features five events on different courses, uniting the nation’s professionals with 12 elite golfers boasting handicaps 5 and below, creating a Pro-Am spectacle.

 “Notably inclusive, the Lina Tour warmly welcomes amateur golfers with a handicap of 24 and below, ensuring an enriching experience for all,” said the statement.

The top three professionals and one elite golfer will earn a coveted chance to feature in a Dubai tournament. The late Lina was among the first lady golfers in Tanzania to compete in a sport that was once dominated by non-Tanzanian male golfers.

She broke the glass ceiling on the green and encouraged dozens of Tanzanian and other African women to partake in golf as a recreational and professional sport.

Lina significantly contributed to the transformation of the renowned KOBE Golf Tournament, elevating it from a local event to a nationally-recognized competition spanning over 11 years.

Taking place annually at the year’s end, KOBE marked a milestone in Tanzanian golf by pioneering the inclusion of caddies as players.

This ground breaking decision not only expanded the pool of indigenous players but also provided an avenue for those less privileged to engage competitively.

The tournament played a pivotal role in shaping the careers of many professionals in the country, as it became a vital starting point for their journeys in the world of golf.

During different periods of her lifetime, she served as a committee member of the Ladies Golf Section at Gymkhana Golf Club in Dar es Salaam and as the Honorary Treasurer of the Tanzania Ladies Golf Union (TLGU) from 2010 to 2012.

She also played an integral role in ensuring the sustainability and integrity of the Union and was a founding member of the Pink Panther Group that plays social tournaments every Friday in Dar es Salaam.

She mentored and guided fellow women, living true to the very nature and essence of the sport of golf.

She also represented the National Team during the All Africa Competition and the Zambia Ladies Open held in Zambia in 2006.

She also enjoyed sharing her knowledge and experience in golf freely as she travelled all over the world, playing golf on various courses, including the famous ancient golf course in St. Andrews, UK (aka Home of golf), where the sport of Golf was first played.

“A mother, grandmother, and wife, the late Lina left her footprints on the greens and fairways of the Tanzanian Golf scene.

“She will forever be remembered for her charm, charisma, integrity, and forthrightness,” said the statement.