• Sport

Williams, Shikulo win round 13 of Nedbank for Good series

• 15 Hours Ago

John Williams and Justine Shikulo emerged victorious in the 13th and final preliminary round of the Nedbank for Good golf series, which concluded with resounding success at the Windhoek Golf Club on Saturday.

This sets the stage for the anticipated final showdown of the series, which will take place on 3 October at Omeya Golf Club, 30 km south of Windhoek, where 25 finalists (13 men and 12 women) from the preliminary rounds will clash to crown the 2025 Nedbank for Good Series champion.

In round 13’s men\'s competition, Williams emerged victorious with an impressive 43 points ahead of John Chadiywa (41 points). Third place was claimed on count-out by Philip Steenberg (40), ahead of Melt van Schoor (40, fourth).

Williams said his victory was completely unexpected as he didn’t feel like he had been playing at his best recently.

“I did not come to win; I had zero game plan, just to get the ball in the fairway. I came just to enjoy myself and support the cause. I just wanted to have a relaxing round of golf, enjoy myself, and enjoy the company.”

However, he is now excited for the finals at Omeya, where he will do his best and continue supporting the cause.

In the women’s division, Shikulo claimed the win with 41 points on count-out ahead of Lucy Mohale (second on 41) and third-placed Suene Venter (39).

Shikulo said the victory feels great, as she did not expect to win.

“My game plan for the day was to keep the ball in play and avoid attempting hero shots that would land me in trouble. Coming from the coast, the hot weather in Windhoek is always a challenge for me. Nevertheless, I managed to push through and stayed focused to find the fairways. It was a beautiful day.”

Shikulo thanked the organisers and sponsors for their dedication and effort in always making the event a success.

The tournament was played in the individual stableford format, which awards points based on a player\'s net score on each hole. A total of 98 amateur golfers participated, including 14 women, providing a competitive environment.



‘Five-star’ final awaits

The organiser Dan Zwiebel of DZ Golf lauded the well-attended event, expressing his satisfaction with the series\' growth and impact.

"This is our 13th event, marking the conclusion of our 13 qualifying events before the final at Omeya Golf Club on 3 October. This year, we proudly added three additional venues in smaller towns like Okahandja, Grootfontein, and Outjo.

“The addition has been amazing, and we have so many nice stories to tell about these smaller towns. All in all, we\'ve seen amazing growth within the game and the series. We\'re making a significant change by supporting charities, but we are also focusing on growing the game.”

He extended gratitude to Windhoek Golf Club for preparing a magnificent course. Looking ahead to the finals, Zwiebel explained the unique experience awaiting the qualifiers.

“We will pull out all the stops for the finals. Our guests will be treated to a five-star experience. The prize-giving ceremony will take place on the same day at the Nedbank Campus Sky Garden.”



The good cause

Proceeds from this year’s series will directly benefit Agra ProVision, an initiative dedicated to providing crucial training, services, and support to underserved agricultural communities.

Nedbank Namibia\'s Chief Commercial Officer, JG van Graan, said: “As money experts who do good in the communities we operate in, Nedbank Namibia is not only supporting the series for competition purposes; we are also aware of the deeper cause that this initiative is supporting.

“The agricultural sector is the backbone of Namibia\'s economy, and its growth is essential for our nation\'s prosperity. Our government, through the National Development Plan 6, has rightfully identified agriculture as a key priority. However, for this to be a success, we must ensure that all farmers, especially those in underserved communities, have the necessary tools and knowledge to thrive.”

By providing essential training and support, Nedbank is directly contributing to the development of these communities, helping to increase agricultural output, and building a more food-secure future for all Namibians, he added.

Van Graan extended his best wishes to the finalists, urging them to prepare well for the upcoming finals, and he recommitted Nedbank to continuing its support for the series in the coming years.

The series is made possible by the generous support of Nedbank Namibia in partnership with Autohaus Windhoek, Vivo Energy, AfricaOnline, Agra, B2Gold, Gondwana Collection Namibia, JTC Namibia, King Price, Pupkewitz Megabuild, Town Lodge Windhoek, WV-Manufacturing and Future Media.