Uganda out for Victoria Cup revenge
Rugumayo showed class as national golf teams stuttered during continental meets. PHOTO BY EDDIE CHICCO
What you need to know:
- Golf. Having lost by a point to host Kenya at the inaugural edition last year, Team Uganda wants to claim their first Victoria Golf Cup honours on home soil in Entebbe.
KAMPALA.
A new chapter in the Uganda-Kenya sporting rivalry was launched when the first edition of the Victoria Golf Cup took place at the par-72 Muthaiga Club 13 months ago.
It joined other East African derby tournaments like the Elgon Cup in rugby or the Gossage Cup that is the present-day Cecafa regional football championship.
Thereafter, Kenya Golf Union (KGU) and Uganda Golf Union (UGU) agreed the two-nation contest would become an annual event with each hosting in turn.
With that background, UGU opted to stage the second edition of this match-play competition outside Kampala. And the three-day showpiece tees-off this morning at the par-71 course in Entebbe.
The hosts, tutored by coach Amos Kamya, will hope to emulate their opponents by winning it on home soil having lost last year’s title by a point.
“When playing at home, we are untouchable,” Kamya told this paper prior to the tournament opening ceremony at Entebbe clubhouse yesterday.
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,” said the man who has led the nation to four titles in three years.
Having masterminded a two-week camp at Entebbe Central Inn and beaten the Pros X in a warm-up, Kamya easily found his five pairings; combining captain Becca Mwanja with Ronald Rugumayo ahead of today’s foursomes and four-ball better-ball contests.
Qualifiers’ winner Adolf Muhumuza is with tough Ismail Mahumood, Entebbe’s pair Deco Mutebi and Martin Ochaya know the course too well while debutants Davis Kato and Emmanuel Ogwang add a new spice.
David Kamulindwa, Uganda’s best at the All-Africa Juniors in Zimbabwe, is with Richard Baguma for the pair’s first senior assignment. “Zimbabwe exposure has built confidence in Kamulindwa,” Kamya noted.
While he has kept six faces from Muthaiga, Kamya’s charges must be ready to encounter experienced John Karichu, Alfred Nandwa, Edwin Mudanyi, Kenneth Bollo as well stubborn teenage pair of Agil Jamal and Mutahi Kibugu.
There is one more worry with the weather as the skies are likely to open up.
“We played all qualifiers in rain last week so that’s not a bother,” Mwanja said
2017 VICTORIA GOLF CUP
Venue: Entebbe Gold Course
Playing format: Match play
TODAY: Foursomes & Four-ball better-ball
FRIDAY: Foursomes & Four-ball better-ball
SATURDAY: Singles
