Do your country proud, Prof. Kerali tells ladies
The national ladies golf team flies to Lilongwe, Malawi on Saturday positive that they can notch their first-ever East and Central All Africa Challenge title next week
What you need to know:
Golf. The men’s national amateur team won the coveted Africa Zone VI title in April and the ladies team have been urged to borrow a leaf from their colleagues and start replicating their performances.
KAMPALA. There was one continuous rallying cry as the National Council of Sports (NCS) general secretary, Jasper Aligawesa, flagged off the national ladies team at Uganda Golf Club (UGC) Kitante yesterday.
The four-man team, to be flanked by coach Amos Kamya, flies out to Malawi on Saturday to represent Uganda in the fourth East and Central All Africa Ladies Challenge Trophy at Lilongwe Golf Club June 1 – 3.
From Aligawesa to Africa Ladies Golf president Monica Ntege every speaker urged the team to go for broke and beat the other seven competing nations to the title.
But the team’s main sponsor Prof. Anthony Kerali (inset) went a notch further. “Don’t worry about sponsors. Bring in good results and trophies and we will always be here to support,” said Kerussi International’s Kerali, who offered the team four return air-tickets and $7,000 (about Shs21m).
Long journey
“If you don’t do well, you will have ashamed yourselves and your country. You rather stay here. Sending you to Malawi is the beginning of a long journey. Make it count.”
The travelling team comprise of Esther Okullo (non-playing captain), Flavia Namakula, Irene Nakalembe and Eva Magala.
During the presser, coach Kamya cut his usual calm posture and spoke about the team camaraderie which he believes will be vital if Uganda is to notch her first title.
“These ladies have the technique to play good golf,” said Kamya, who guided the men’s team to glory at the East Africa Challenge Trophy last year and Africa Zone VI title in April.
“My main focus with the ladies has been on course management. I have put a lot of emphasis on fairway and regulation hits. The ladies have also been practicing on men’s tees which gauges their fitness and mental toughness. We will know our strength after the official practice round in Lilongwe.”
The 54-hole strokeplay event will be played over three days with the best two scores counting to the each team’s aggregate everyday.
Participating Nations: Malawi, Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia, Rwanda, Mauritius, Reunion Islands and Uganda.
