FBC Zim Open is one of Zimbabwe’s premier golf tournaments, traditionally hosted at the Royal Harare Golf Club, attracting top professional and amateur golfers from across the region. The event is part of the Sunshine Tour schedule. It is known for combining competitive golf with a strong social and corporate atmosphere. It also makes you see golf as an experience, not just a sport. This year’s edition had that familiar energy, a mix of competitive golf, good company, corporate presence and families simply making the most of a weekend outdoors.
Walking in, the setting does a lot of the work. Sponsor tents lined up neatly, golf carts cutting across the fairways, groups of spectators trailing behind players, and an overall calm that you don’t often find at most sporting events. It feels lively, but never chaotic.
What also stands out is just how much focus the sport demands. Right before a player steps up to hit, everything around them quietens. People stop mid-conversation, movement slows, and all eyes lock in. You just have to be present.
On the course itself, South African golfer Altin van der Merwe gave spectators plenty to talk about. The 29-year-old closed out the final round with a 4-under-par 68 to win the 2026 FBC Zimbabwe Open, finishing at 21-under-par and four strokes clear of the field. He had carried a four-shot lead into Sunday and never looked troubled, sealing what was his maiden Sunshine Tour victory.
Not everyone in attendance was tracking the leaderboard. For many, the draw was simply being outside on a pleasant Harare afternoon, catching up with people, networking over a drink, or just taking in the surroundings at their own pace. Golf creates the perfect setting for that kind of day.
Moving around the course also gives you a real appreciation for what the players and their caddies go through. Every shot is thought out, every approach is deliberate. There is a level of patience involved that is easy to overlook when you are watching from a distance.
The FBC Zim Open continues to hold its place as one of the more enjoyable events on the local sporting calendar, firstly for what happens on the course, and also for the kind of day out it offers to anyone who shows up. Click here to view the leaderboard summary.
