Rwanda’s top golfers Jean Baptiste Hakizimana (seed one) and Emmanuel Ruterana (seed two) will debut in the third edition of  Zambia Sugar Open Golf Championship set for April 21-24 at Lusaka golf club.

The number one local golfer Hakizimana confirmed the development to Times Sport yesterday.

Fresh from competing in the just concluded Kenya Golf Open, Hakizimana received the invitation for two slots while in Kenya two weeks ago from one of the organizers of the Zambian Open.

"We have been guaranteed two slots which is a superb opportunity for us in such a first-rate tournament…so we hope to exploit this opportunity and reach as far as possible,” he said

The 29-year-old Hakizimana added that with Rwanda Open being the only professional golf event staged once in a year, professional golfers have to go out and this particular tournament will provide them an opportunity to improve.

"Our target is to fight hard and probably win this Open because that is the only way, we can get permanent slots in the sunshine tour events, which would be a great achievement to us,” he added

The US$750,000-prestigious tournament is among the sunshine tour events. The sunshine tour is a men’s professional golf tour based in South Africa formerly known as the South African tour or FNB tour that covers six countries namely Mauritius, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Among the tournaments under this tour include Tshwane Open, Joburg Open, BMW Open Championship, Eye of Africa PGA Championship, Investec Cup, Golden Pilsener Zimbabwe Open, and Zambia Sugar Open among others.  South African Vaughn Groenewaild is the defending champion while compatriot Lyle Rowe won the maiden edition.

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