Perhaps, coach Amos Kamya did not labour to raise his voice as his side beat the Pros X by five points in the build-up match ahead of the annual Victoria Golf Cup this weekend.
Team Uganda returned 7.5 points to beat the men in the paid ranks at the par-71 course on Monday, a clear sign the hosts are charged for visitors Kenya when the two-nation contest tees-off.
This is one of the latest episodes in the East African sporting derby that has the Elgon Cup (rugby) among other competitions. “We are progressing in the right manner,” Uganda captain Becca Mwanja said following victory over a side that had the side had the likes of Deo Akope and Fred Wanzala. Akope and company tallied 2.5 points only after 10-pair four-ball better-ball and foursomes. It is this kind of warm-up result that brews confidence into Uganda to revenge for the one-point loss at the inaugural Victoria Cup at par-72 Muthaiga Golf Club course in Nairobi last year.
The hosts will hope to utilize home advantage in this East African version of the Ryder Cup when they face coach John van Liefland’s charges in the four-ball better ball and four-some on Thursday and Friday before the final singles round on Saturday. Uganda has six survivors from the team that travelled to Muthaiga last June, leaving Emmanuel Ogwang, Richard Baguma, Davis Kato and David Kamulindwa as the debutants. “We hope our boys raise the country’s flag after a tight training program,” Uganda Golf Union (UGU) President Johnson Omollo said.
Coach Kamya has trust his brigade can retain the home pride, like it was when he led the nation to the 2014 East Africa Challenge title in Entebbe and the 2015 Africa Zone VI Championship at Kitante. “When playing at home, we are untouchable,” Kamya told this paper prior to the tournament opening ceremony at Entebbe clubhouse. True, Uganda won the 2014 East Africa Challenge in Entebbe and rode on that momentum to bag the Africa Zone VI title in Kitante the following year. “So we cannot afford to give room to error. We are good to go and want to taste the Victoria Cup success."
The hosts must watch out on Kenya’s experienced John Karichu, Mike Kisia, Samuel Njoroge, Alfred Nandwa, Edwin Mudanyi as well as teenagers Agil Jamal and Mutahi Kibugu.
2017 VICTORIA CUP SCHEDULE
UGANDA VS. KENYA
Venue: Entebbe course
Playing format: Match play
THURSDAY: Foursomes, Four-ball better-ball
FRIDAY: Foursomes, Four-ball better-ball
SATURDAY: Singles
TEAM UGANDA: Becca Mwanja, Adolf Muhumuza, Ismail Muhammoud, Emmanuel Ogwang, Richard Baguma, Herman Mutebi, Davis Kato, David Kamulindwa, Ronald Rugumayo and Martin Ochaya.
COACH: Amos Kamya
TEAM KENYA: John Karichu, Mike Kisia, Samuel Njoroge, Alfred Nandwa, Edwin Mudanyi, Kenneth Bollo, Dennis Saikwa, Jeff Kubwa, Agil Jamal, Mutahi Kibugu
COACH: John van Liefland
This writer is a scribe with Daily Monitor Newspaper and, also a sports presenter with NBS Television and Radio One FM 90 in Kampala. Follow him on Twitter: @AllanDarren and his Facebook Page: Darren Allan Kyeyune