Uganda Golf Union (UGU) president Innocent Kihika has intensified youth development programs since assuming the big office last year.
UGU is already in the early stages of the Uganda Junior Golf program from players will be exposed early to the international stage.
The bigger window at the continent is at the Africa Junior Golf Championships whose 2019 edition is set to be held in Botswana.
With help from the GEMS Cambridge International School, UGU has sent its best quartet to represent at the continental meet which tees-off March 11-17 at the at the Phakalane Golf Club in Gaborone.
.jpg)
“The training has been well and the players are fit enough,” national coach Stephen Kasaija said before the team departed.
The ultimate goal is to finish in the top two and qualify for the Toyota Junior Golf World Cup set to be held in Japan later in November.
“They are ready to go,” he said of captain Joel Basalaine, Michael Alunga, Ibrahim Aliga and Denis Asaba.
“There is confidence that the team can move a step closer and we are ready enough to be there.
The Phakalane course is akin to the Lake Victoria Serena Golf Resort in Kigo. “We got the course layout and tried putting on the Serena surfaces and fairways,” Kasaija noted.
“The course in Gaborone is a nice one but a little bit shorter than where we’ve been training from. We’ve been on a longer course in Entebbe while playing off the professionals’ tees,” added Kasaija.
Basalaine and Asaba were with David Kamulindwa and Edrine Okong when Uganda missed out on the ticket to Japan last year after finishing behind record winners South Africa and hosts Morocco at the at the par-72 Royal Dar-es Salaam Club in Rabat.
TEAM UGANDA TO BOTSWANA
PLAYERS: Michael Alunga (UGC), Ibrahim Aliga (Lugazi), Denis Asaba (Tooro), Joel Basalaine (Lugazi)
COACH: Stephen Kasaija
2018 ALL-AFRICA JUNIOR GOLF CHAMPS
FINAL LEADERBOARD
1 Deon Germishuys (RSA) 76 66 71 72 285
2 Martin Vorster (RSA) 73 73 71 71 288
3 Werner Deyzel (RSA) 88 68 71 73 300
4 Amine El Kharraz (MAR) 86 72 72 74 304
5 Dahmane Soufiane (MAR) 78 71 79 77 305
6 Ayden Senger (RSA) 81 75 76 75 307
7 Fakori El Mehdi (MAR) 84 81 77 72 314
8 Agil Jamal (KEN) 81 75 82 78 316
9 Joel Basalaine (UGA) 87 80 80 75 322
10 David Kamulindwa (UGA) 82 76 84 81 323
T15 Dennis Asaba (UGA) 86 82 87 81 336
T30 Edrine Okong (UGA) 96 94 91 75 356
TEAM FINISHES
1 South Africa 866
2 Morocco 919
3 Uganda 975
4 Kenya 976
5 Zimbabwe 1026
6 Zambia 1037
7 Egypt 1041
For all the latest sports news, betting tips and promotions, follow
Betway on
Facebook,
Twitter,
Instagram,
Google+ and
YouTube.
Download the Betway App.