Junior WC will transform golf

The heroes: The Uganda contingent of junior golfers that made history by reaching the Junior Golf World Cup to be held in Japan later this year. The Union believes that qualification can change golf. COURTESY PHOTO

What you need to know:

  • He is as well in charge of the new Uganda Golf Academy that is set to nurture talent using partnerships between primary and secondary schools located next to golf clubs around the country.

Kampala. The golf fraternity is enjoying some fine spells as the country’s game continues making inroads on the international scene.

And they are happening fast. On Thursday, Phillip Kasozi became the first Ugandan ever to play on the PGA European Tour when he teed-off at the Magical Kenya Open.

A day later, Uganda was on cloud nine after the junior boys’ national team jumped the barricades to emerge second at the All-Africa Junior Golf Championships in Botswana.

The placement behind record champions South Africa at the par-72 Phakalane Golf Club in Gaborone had all the incentives as Uganda qualified to play at the Junior Golf World Cup for the first-time ever.
Now coach Stephen Kasaija will continue to work with the youngsters a little more ahead of a new trip to Japan come June.

The result did not come as a surprise. “From last year, it was our target to go for the World Championship,” says Uganda Golf Union (UGU) president Innocent Kihika.
“My technical team told me we could do it, so we set out eyes on this goal and here we are. It’s important because it will inspire our juniors to aspire to be at that same position.”

The feeling is that after opening the Japan door, Uganda’s golf stands a chance for a big facelift.
“It will create exposure, create awareness of Uganda being a golfing country and more competition in the country,” stated Kihika.

“As you may realise, the national team is 90 percent rookies. There has been competition between clubs to get their juniors on the team. We have seen clubs going into a spree to groom young kids for this,” he added.
At the 2018 edition, Uganda narrowly missed out on the World Cup as the team finished third behind South Africa and hosts Morocco at the Royal Dar-es-Salaam Club in Rabat.

At Phakalane, Morocco led Uganda by six strokes into the final day but Kasaija and team manager Oscar Semawere worked magic with the boys.
In the end, Uganda beat Morocco by 10 shots on Friday, switching places on the leaderboard to fully glance at glory.

Uganda’s captain Joel Basalaine was a pivotal figure in this. On his fourth straight appearance with Denis Asaba at the Africa Juniors, Basalaine’s experience played a huge part. He finished as Uganda’s best player and fifth overall on the individuals’ leaderboard with an aggregate score of 295 gross behind South African quartet of Samuel Simpson, Christo Lamprecht, Casey Jarvis and Martin Vorster.

“First of all, I am so proud of my teammates especially Asaba I have been with for four tournaments,” Basalaine said. “We all had the same dream so it was our duty to impact it into the minds of the other two Ibrahim Aliga and Michael Alunga. “We had to pray every night and morning which united us. Our coach Kasaija did a lot of work plus manager Oscar Semawere and Sam Kacungira. These men trusted us from day one and made us believe that we could make it.”

“Since I have four years of experience, I knew the scores necessary to go second and how to handle pressure more especially on the winning day,” remarked Basalaine.
Featuring in Japan could as well increase the funding UGU receives for development. “R&A will realise we are doing a good job with the kids and increase funding for junior golf development,” stated Semawere who is Uganda’s most successful national golf team manager.

He is as well in charge of the new Uganda Golf Academy that is set to nurture talent using partnerships between primary and secondary schools located next to golf clubs around the country.

FINAL LEADERBOARD

1. South Africa 806 gross
2. Uganda 899
3. Morocco 903
4. Zambia 909
5. Zimbabwe 928
6. Nigeria 961
7. Namibia 973
8. Egypt 980
9. Eswatini 994
10. Tanzania 1029
11. Gabon 1027
11. Mauritius 1031
13. Botswana 1062