Kampala, Entebbe to host national team trials

By Michael Nsubuga
 
TORO Golf Club’s Ronald Rugumayo cannot wait for the National team trials to begin.

Two days after finishing fifth at the Venus open on Saturday, he hit an incredible 7 under par 70 during a training session nearly breaking the Toro Golf Course record.

“I wish national team qualifiers could find me on this form,” he posted on his face book wall.

Rugumayo and several others aged below 35 years, will now have to display similar form at the national team trials due on March 3-7 at Entebbe and Uganda Golf Clubs.

Upon registration and getting approval from the golf captains of their respective clubs golfers with handicaps (0-6), from all over the country will play a 72-holes qualifier, with a cut for only 30 players after the first 54 holes.

The first round of the qualifiers will be an 18-hole challenge at Kitante before the second 36-hole round at Entebbe Golf Club.

The third and final round at Kitante will involve the top 30 players from the previous rounds, with the top twenty making it to the national team.

According to the UGU president Kiryowa Kiwanuka the qualifiers are aimed at qualifying 20 amateur and junior national team players for the calendar year 2014.

“We encourage all the golfers who fit the profile to come and participate in this event. Golf Club captains are going to be very involved in order to have a watchful eye on the players throughout the year and ensure discipline,” Kiwanuka stated.

Kiwanuka cites access for the team members to all golf courses in the country, opportunity to represent the country at international events, attending training camps with professionals as a way of improving their game and acquiring travel documents for players who might not have them, as some of the benefits that will come with playing for the national team.

“We have developed a clear registration form for the players in order for us to be able to collect the data of all the players who engage in this activity so we can be able to follow up even when they are not on the national team.

“We shall try and support as many of these players to participate in the local events outside their home clubs so that they can have exposure and also encourage others to try out for the national team,” Kiwanuka remarked.

Close to sh12m will be spent on the qualifiers.