Uganda makes slow start in South Africa
Apr 16, 2014
UGANDA'S ambitions of winning the Zone 6 Africa golf championships started on a wrong note when they won only two games out of eight in the singles round, as South Africa blazed into the lead on the opening day
By Michael Nsubuga
First Round Leaderboard (Singles + Foursomes)
South Africa 12pts
Zimbabwe 9pts
Kenya 7.5pts
Swaziland 7.5pts
Mauritius 7.5pts
Namibia 7.5pts
Malawi 7.5pts
Botswana 3.5
Lesotho 3.5
Uganda 3pts
Mozambique 0.5pts
UGANDA'S ambitions of winning the Zone 6 Africa golf championships started on a wrong note when they won only two games out of eight in the singles round, as South Africa blazed into the lead on the opening day, at the Devonvale Golf and Wine Estate Club on Monday.
Adolf Muhumuza and Robert Oluba were the only Ugandan players who managed to win their singles matches against Malawi’s Sam Mayuni and Domingo Maibasse from Mozambique respectively.
Muhumuza beat his opponent by one hole while Oluba trounced his opponent by 7 up, (6&7).
Team captain Phillip Kasozi was beaten by Botswana’s Nabeel Desai (3&2), while Willy Kitatta lost to Kenya’s Tony Omuli by six up (6&4).
Ronald Otile lost to South Africa’s Jason Smith by four up (4&3), Happy Robert to Zimbabwe’s Travis Smith four up (5&4), Lawrence Muhenda to Bax Ludovic of Mauritius by 5up (5&4) while Ronald Rugumayo was beaten by Johnny Lin (Lesotho) by one hole (1 up).
In the foursomes played on Tuesday morning, the combinations of Phillip Kasozi and Willy Kitata and that of Ronald Otile and Ronald Rugumayo managed to square their games earning Uganda a 3rd point.
Kitatta and Kasozi were up against Zambia’s Gabriel Chibale and Peter Munyinya while Otile and Rugumayo squared off with Malawi’s Phil Minkey and Rakesh Chamoo.
South Africa tops the log on twelve points ahead of Zimbabwe, who had scored nine after two rounds. Kenya, Swaziland, Mauritius, Namibia and Malawi are tied in third position with 7.5 points each going into the third round (Fourball-betterball)
South Africa has dominated the tournament, winning it 18 times since 1995 when the country was readmitted to international golf and the only loss was when Kenya won in Botswana in 2010.
South Africa has won the event outright each year, with the exception of 1998 when the team tied with Zimbabwe in Swaziland, but won on a count out of holes up.