The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Harare, Zimbabwe | THE INDEPENDENT & Michael Vlismas Media | Mexican golf professional Luis Carrera claimed his first title on the Sunshine Tour in his first start after winning the Qualifying School when he took the FBC Zim Open by four strokes at Royal Harare Golf Club on Sunday.
Carrera won the Sunshine Tour’s 2025/26 season opening tournament on 18 under par with a final round of 68.
Australia’s Austin Bautista, who also earned his Sunshine Tour playing privileges at April’s Qualifying School, finished second on 14 under par with a closing 71.
Sweden’s Fredrik From and South Africa’s MJ Viljoen shared third place on nine under par.
Carrera took the overall lead after Fridays second round and never looked back. The Mexican started Sunday’s final round with a one-stroke lead over Bautista.
He started strong and was three under through his opening three holes following a birdie and an eagle. But his bogey on the par-three 11th hole left him with only a one-stroke lead over Bautista.
The moment 🇲🇽 Luis Carrera became a Sunshine Tour winner on his first start! 🏆#FBCZimOpen #GreatnessBeginsHere #SunshineTour pic.twitter.com/4eA9BEOqNp
— Sunshine Tour (@Sunshine_Tour) May 11, 2025
The two golfers were level after Bautista’s birdie on the 12th hole, and then Carrera sealed the victory with three birdies in his final five holes.
Trevor Fisher Jnr. finished fifth on eight under par, maintaining his impressive record in a tournament where he has twice finished second in a playoff.
Strong Ugandan presence in Zimbabwe
There was a significant Ugandan presence at the Zimbabwe Sunshine Tour event, with MTN-sponsored Ronald Rugumayo, Ugandan-born Mutahi Kibugu plus four former Uganda Open champs in action.
The top performer at the end was Zimbabwe’s Robson Chinhoi who finished 7th. Chinhoi is winner of the Uganda Open professional title in 2020 and 2022.
Dayne Moore from Zambia, winner last year at the Uganda Open in Entebbe, also made the cut, but bowed out on the final day due to an injury.
Former Uganda Open champ Madalisto Muthiya (Zambia) failed to make the cut, with a +3 score, as did Stephen Ferriera (+9) from Portugal, winner in Kampala in 2017; and East African hero of last year’s Kenya Magical Open – Uganda’s Rugumayo at +9.
Another hero of the Kenya Magical Open Mutahi Kibugu also missed the cut with a +10 score, ending up 123rd of 156 golfers over 2 days.
Top 10 in Zim Open
| Pos | Name | Nat | OoM | Par | R1 | R2 | R3 | R4 | Score | |
| 1 | Luis Carrera | 380.40 | -18 | 67 | 66 | 69 | 68 | 270 | ||
| 2 | Austin Bautista | 264.00 | -14 | 67 | 70 | 66 | 71 | 274 | ||
| =3 | Fredrik From | 152.28 | -9 | 70 | 70 | 69 | 70 | 279 | ||
| =3 | MJ Viljoen | 152.28 | -9 | 68 | 66 | 70 | 75 | 279 | ||
| 5 | Trevor Fisher Jnr | 102.00 | -8 | 69 | 70 | 68 | 73 | 280 | ||
| 6 | Jean Hugo | 85.20 | -7 | 70 | 68 | 73 | 70 | 281 | ||
| =7 | Kyle De Beer | 57.90 | -6 | 71 | 73 | 71 | 67 | 282 | ||
| =7 | Robson Chinhoi | 57.90 | -6 | 71 | 68 | 72 | 71 | 282 | ||
| =7 | Samuel Simpson | 57.90 | -6 | 71 | 69 | 70 | 72 | 282 | ||
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