IT'S barely been a couple of years since former top Zimbabwe junior golfer Stuart Krog turned pro and he has already been producing some encouraging results.
Only last week Krog finished third in the National Aids Council (Nac) HIV and Cancer Prevention Drive Pro-Am golf tourney which was held at Royal Harare. Krog shot a three-round total of nine-under-par to fall two strokes behind leaders Robson Chinhoi and Visitor Mapwanya, who had to be separated by a playoff with the former emerging as the winner.
And after spending a number of years playing collegiate golf in the US at Henderson State University where he was studying for a Sports Management degree, Krog decided to turn professional in 2021 after his studies for a Master’s degree were cut short by the Covid-19 outbreak.
The former St Joseph’s College student spoke about his performance at the Nac tournament and his professional career thus in an interview with The Sports Hub.
“It was good (the performance). The first two days were very challenging, they set up the course really hard and I think we had a bit of wind from Hurricane Freddy. I started the final round two shots back. I just wanted to put pressure on the leading guys. I shot seven under and played great golf. There are not many more shots I could have gained because they also shot seven-Under. There is only so much I can do to change things,” he said.
So far Krog has played mostly at tournaments in South Africa and is looking to continue competing there as he builds on his dream to compete and win a golf major golf championship in his career.
“I have been playing a lot of tournaments in South Africa. I played the Big Easy Tour last year and I had a pretty good season but it's just about learning and growing. And I played on the Blue Label Development Tour every week and I have been doing well with lots of second and third-place finishes so I just keep doing what I am doing. Hopefully, a couple of wins will show up.
“The two years and it's been a learning process. I have been getting better every day and my scores have been showing that. I have a good team around me with my coach and my trainer so it’s all been great.
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“For now I just want to get on the Sunshine Tour and test my game with those guys and I really think I can do well out there because I have been very consistent. If I can go out there and play good consistent golf, possibly play a couple of European Tour events, you never know what's going to happen one good week could change my life and career,” the 26-year-old golfer said.
Krog had a trailblazing junior career during which he won the 2013 Junior Golfer of the year accolade while he represented the country countless times as a junior and amateur golfer.
While his career has taken a while to take off, the golfer remains hungry to reach the top and win big tournaments.
“My dream is to win anywhere and everywhere. I want to play as much golf as I can. I would like to be in Majors, that’s probably the biggest goal, just to be able to play in a lot of Majors and contend for the Majors one day.
"But right now I just think we have to take baby steps, get on the Sunshine Tour, win on the Sunshine Tour, go to Europe, win in Europe, go to America and win in America and just take it step by step,” Krog said.
A product of two local golf coaches the late Rodger Baylis and Terry Cairns, Stuart Krog and his older brother Brett were introduced to the game by their father Ian.
