East African Challenge tees off

Kampala

Team Uganda is wary of Kenya’s star-studded side as the 2010 East Africa Challenge Trophy tees off this morning with a match-play singles round at the mountainous Kigali Golf Club (KGC) in Nyarutarama.

Five countries including reigning African champions Kenya, Tanzania, Burundi and hosts Rwanda will present their best eight elite amateurs to pit their wits against each as the battle for Day One’s honours takes center stage. Although Uganda – winners of last year’s showpiece hosted by Entebbe Golf Club, are deserved favourites, it is Kenya that provided the talking points at the flag-raising ceremony yesterday evening at the KGC.

Kenya (21 points) edged South Africa by 1.5 points to halt their 14-year stranglehold on the Africa Zone VI Championship earlier this April in Botswana. Uganda finished eighth at that 12-team continental competition.
And with Uganda travelling with a weakened squad as Fred Wanzala (six-month suspension) and Saidi Mawa (academic obligations) stayed back in Uganda, Kenyan star Collins Omondi has predicted an easy win.

“We are the African champions and this should be a piece of cake for us,” boasted Omondi who together with hard-hitting Boniface Simwa are fresh from Buenos Aires, Argentina for the World Amateur Golf Teams Championship.But after warming up with some impressive displays in the Rwanda Open, Uganda’s captain Stephen Kasaija was positive his team that gave recalls to experienced Patrick Mugisha and John Paul Basabose can hold their own and retain the title. “The way we deploy will be crucial. The course is tough and it will probably give a hard time to everybody. But if we keep our heads down and show hunger to win, we shall reign,” said Kasaija who finished second in the Uganda Open.

Uganda will be targeting five points out of a possible eight from today’s play to keep their title prospects alive. Day two will have foursomes and four-ball round whereas the final day on Thursday will have a singles round.