TWENTY-eight-year-old Thabo Mphana has etched his name in Lesotho’s golfing history after becoming the youngest golfer to win the country’s most prestigious international golf tournament, the Mohokare Golf Classic.
The two-day tournament was held over the weekend, with play taking place simultaneously at Maseru Golf Course and Ladybrand Golf Course in South Africa.
Mphana emerged as the overall winner after topping the standings with a net score of 77 off a handicap of 18. His victory earned him a place among the tournament’s distinguished champions and the coveted green blazer traditionally awarded to winners.
He also claimed a daily prize after scoring 38 points during play at Maseru Golf Course on the second day of the tournament.
Mphana’s triumph saw him dethrone defending champion Johnny Lin, while Fundi Ndou claimed the overall title in the ladies’ category with a net score of 73 off a handicap of 16.
Born and raised in Florida, Maseru, with family roots in Qoqolosing, Leribe, Mphana was introduced to golf at the age of 12. He and his brother, Tšepo, followed in the footsteps of their father, Sam Mphana, although they initially played the sport only occasionally.
His involvement in golf remained limited during his high school years, when he also participated in other sports, particularly basketball.
“Through my high school years, I would play two to three times a year. I was doing other sports like basketball,” Mphana told the Lesotho Times this week.
He said the lack of peers playing golf at the time was another factor that limited his participation. However, that began to change around 2025 when he and his brother started introducing their friends to the sport.
“Again, the other issue was that we could not play much golf because we did not have age mates to play with at that time. But around 2025, my brother and I went on to introduce some of our friends to the sport. That is when we started playing more,” he said.
For Mphana, the Mohokare Golf Classic holds special significance because of his family’s longstanding connection to the tournament. His father, Sam, is one of its founding members, making the victory particularly meaningful.
“The Mohokare is an event that is close to our hearts because our father is a founding member of the tournament,” he said.
Mphana said he began participating in the competition about four years ago, but his performances in previous editions had fallen short of his expectations. His brother, however, managed to win a prize at last year’s tournament, motivating them to work towards a stronger showing this year.
“I started participating in the tournament about four years ago. My brother made it into the prizes last year. So, this year, we started thinking about how we could improve and make it to the top.
“For me, the past years have not been great, but this year, I do not know why, it was the first time I believed winning the tournament was possible.
“However, I had thought it would take some years before that could be achieved, so I am shocked at how soon it has happened, although I always believed it was possible,” he said.
He attributed his success over the two days to maintaining focus throughout the competition, which attracts golfers from across the region, including Botswana, South Africa and Zimbabwe.
“The competition is always tough at the Mohokare because it attracts golfers from Botswana, South Africa and even Zimbabwe, to mention a few,” Mphana said.
Beyond the personal milestone, Mphana hopes his victory will inspire a new generation of Basotho golfers to move beyond participation and compete for the tournament’s top honours.
According to the tournament’s founders, Mphana is the youngest golfer to win the event to date.
“I thought winning it before the age of 30 would have a huge impact on the current generation. I wanted to inspire them not just to participate, but to compete.
“However, I doubt I will remain the youngest ever to win it, based on how the game is growing. I think we will have more young people winning it in the future,” he said.
His victory has also reinforced his belief in striving for excellence, regardless of the field in which one chooses to pursue success.
“Not having made it into the prizes in the last Mohokare Golf Classic edition and winning it over the weekend has verified the philosophy I have been living by, which says that one must strive for the pinnacle of whatever they endeavour to do,” he said.
Having played basketball competitively during his school years and at university, Mphana believes golf offers unique benefits, particularly for young people. Unlike more physically demanding sports, he said, golf can be enjoyed throughout one’s life, including well into retirement.
He also believes the sport teaches valuable life skills, including patience, attention to detail, intentionality and emotional control, while encouraging players to appreciate the process of continuous improvement.
“Golf is a sport that offers numerous benefits, especially for young people, as it can be enjoyed at any age and continued well into retirement, unlike more physically demanding sports such as basketball.
“Beyond its longevity, golf teaches valuable life skills, including patience, attention to detail, intentionality, emotional control, and the importance of enjoying the process of continuous improvement.
“It also provides an excellent networking environment, allowing players to build meaningful relationships with potential employers, business partners, mentors, and other influential individuals through organic interactions on the course,” he said.
He added that golf also creates opportunities to travel, explore beautiful destinations and connect with people from diverse backgrounds.
Mphana challenged the perception that golf is exclusively a sport for older and wealthy people, arguing that the game is becoming increasingly accessible to younger players in Lesotho.
He said golf offered more than just a sporting activity, as its culture and etiquette were among the aspects that attracted him and his brother to the game.
“Golf is for both ladies and gentlemen. When we got introduced to golf, you don’t just get introduced to a game, but there’s a certain culture and etiquette that the game comes with, which we very much resonated with, that we thought would be very beneficial to anyone and everyone who wants to experience and embody it,” he said.
He acknowledged that the stereotype might stem partly from the fact that older people often have more time to play, while the cost of equipment and access to facilities could also present financial barriers.
“I understand where the stereotype comes from. Old people are the ones who have the most time on their hands to play this game. So I can see why people think the reason there are a lot of old people at the golf club is because they have the time to actually play. And resources, they have the clubs and stuff like that, and the ability to use the facilities.
“But as far as it being exclusively for old, rich people, absolutely not. Absolutely not. Especially right now, Maseru Golf Club has never been younger than it is today.
“There is a lot of young people in this game, and it’s an amazing thing to see. And it is actually the reason why, after bringing in our friends and introducing them to the game, we started our own league, just so that we can have a community of young people to actually play this sport with,” he said.
For Mphana, the growing presence of young golfers is an encouraging sign that the sport is evolving in Lesotho. Through the league he and his friends have established, he hopes to create an environment where young players can develop their skills, build friendships and compete against one another.
