CHIKOMBA district team of Alex Wisimati, Tafara Murungweni, Nick Havani and Tapiwa Masingaidze won the 2012 rural schools end-of-the-year golf tournament at Police Golf Club yesterday. The team finished tied with Chipinge on 64 points and they won through count-out.

The event attracted more that 60 golf players from six districts namely Goromonzi, Rushinga, Chipinge, Chitungwiza, Chikomba and Zaka.

In a speech read on his behalf after yesterday's event, the Deputy Minister of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture, Lazarus Dokora, said it is good to see golf reaching rural areas.

"I am happy that the sport, which was long viewed as an elite sport, is now spreading its roots to the rural areas.

"The first gathering was in Mashonaland East some 12 years ago and since then it has grown. Children in the rural areas are always thought of as lagging behind in many developments.

"Introducing a sport like golf to rural schools is a novelty and a challenge and that should be supported. The initiatives being promoted should produce positive results.

"The organisers are doing a great job in (the) promotion of golf to all corners of the country. The ministry support this initiative and is in full support of the introduction of a variety of sporting disciplines in all districts," said Dokora.

Tavenganiswa Mabikacheche founded the rural schools golf under the Marusp Golf Foundation.

St Francis of Asissi in Chikomba were the first beneficiaries way back in 2000 under the urban and rural sports promotion.