July 3, 2001

Charlottesville, Va. - Lewis Chitengwa, 26, professional golfer, died Saturday, June 30 in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. While competing in the Canadian Tour's Edmonton Open he became ill after Friday's second round of competition. He was admitted to the Alberta University Hospital on Saturday and passed away that afternoon.

A 1998 graduate of the University of Virginia, Lewis' golf accomplishments were known throughout the world. In 1993 he became the first black man to win the South Africa Men's Amateur Championship. He was an instant hero to all who had suffered under apartheid in South Africa, and all who opposed the racist system. Lewis' victory in South Africa was often referred to as the "African golfing equivalent of Jackie Robinson breaking baseball's color barrier."

Lewis was a native of Harare, Zimbabwe, and most recently was living in Nashville, Tennessee. His extraordinary golf career began at an early age under the tutelage of his father, Lewis Sr., an accomplished golf professional from the Wingate Golf Club in Harare. By the time he reached his 18th birthday Lewis Jr. had competed on five different continents, representing Zimbabwe in both junior and men's amateur events. He won the Zimbabwe Men's National Amateur Championship three times, in 1992, 1993, and 1994, and in December, 1992, he won one of the world's most prestigious junior tournaments, the Orange Bowl International in Coral Gables, Florida.

Lewis arrived in Charlottesville in the fall of 1993 where he lived with Bobby and Ruth McIver and their family. He attended Piedmont Community College during the Fall 1993 semester, and enrolled at the University of Virginia in the Fall, 1994. In his first year he was named to the All Atlantic Coast Conference Golf Team and was also named ACC Rookie of the Year. In his four-year career with the Cavaliers, Lewis won two intercollegiate tournaments and recorded 17 top-10 finishes. He was twice named All-American, and his seventh place finish in the 1996 NCAA Championship stands as the best finish by a Cavalier golfer since 1940. In his final year at the University, Lewis served as Captain of the Golf Team.

Lewis began his professional golf career in September, 1998. He competed in more than 75 tournaments as a professional on a number of developmental tours, and in 2000 he competed as a fully exempt player on the Buy.Com Tour. In 2001 Lewis was competing primarily on the Canadian Tour. During the winter months each year, Lewis returned to Zimbabwe to compete on the South African Tour, and to spend time with his family.

Like his amateur career, Lewis' professional play was consistently strong, and he had a flair for dramatic shot-making. He was an aggressive and focused competitor who would attempt to drive any par four within reach, and who thrived on reaching par fives in two shots. His victory in the 1996 NCAA Long Drive Contest came as no surprise to those who knew his penchant for smashing tee shots. He possessed great imagination and creativity in all aspects of the game, and in the entirety of his professional career, spanning several hundred rounds, his scoring average remained under-par. While his intense concentration was obvious, Lewis was known most by his kindness, his respectfulness, and his sense of humor. He was the consummate gentleman, both on and off the golf course, and he was loved and respected by all those who had the privilege to know him.

In addition to his skill and passion for golf, Lewis enjoyed all sports. He was a talented soccer player in his youth and most recently had become a fan of professional ice hockey. He enjoyed all types of music, from hip-hop to country, and was gifted in the study of languages. He was raised bi-lingual, fluent in both English and in his native Shona. Lewis also spoke French, and enjoyed studying Japanese, Spanish, Italian, and Swahili. He also played the piano in his free time. He majored in African American Studies at Virginia.

A devout Christian, Lewis attended Bible study on a regular basis. While a student at the University, he joined Trinity Presbyterian Church and was baptized in May, 1995. Lewis was born January 25, 1975. He is survived by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Lewis Chitengwa, Sr. of Harare, two sisters, Helga and Rhoda, two brothers, Elias and Farai, and hundreds of loving admirers and friends. A scholarship in Lewis' name has been established by the Virginia Student Aid Foundation. Contributions to the Lewis Chitengwa Memorial Scholarship Fund can be sent to the Virginia Student Aid Foundation, P.O. Box 400833, Charlottesville, Virginia, 22904. A memorial service will be held at 4 p.m. on Monday, July 16, at Trinity Presbyterian Church , 3101 Fontaine Avenue Ext., Charlottesville.