Uganda and Kenya fight for the Region IV Golf Championship

Uganda will face off with Kenya in the final round of the Region 1V Africa Golf Championship after both sides finished on top after the ranking rounds played over 72 holes.

Kenya topped the ranking rounds with 11.5 points while Uganda collected 10 points meaning the two will play for the championship on Saturday that will be played under the Match-Play format.

But those points will not matter in the final round, as whoever wins the Match-Play will take the trophy. Uganda is gunning for its third trophy having won the last two editions in 2018 and 2019 when the event was last held in Burundi.

Abdoul Rukundo of Burundi chips during the fourth round of the Africa Region IV Golf Championships at Lake Victoria Serena Golf Resort course

Like in 2019 when the two sides met in the final, Kenya led the opening two rounds of stroke play (72 holes) with 889gross (10.5pts), with Uganda finishing second on 894 (10pts); meaning they met in the final match-play round to decide who wins it as the rest fought for positions.

Uganda team captain Joseph Cwinya-ai squared it out with Kenya’s best golfer of the tournament, Sam Njoroge with rookie Godfrey Nsubuga beating Simon Njugu; 1UP while Daniel Baguma/ Rodell Gaita saw off Mutahi Kibugu/Zubair Khan similarly; 1UP to seal the victory for Uganda.

Cwinya-ai and Nsubuga are still on the team and their performance could again be key in Uganda’s pursuit of a third title and especially at home.

In 2018, Uganda beat Rwanda 3-0 points in the final to win the inaugural edition at the Nyali Golf Club in Nairobi after the latter had shocked Kenya in the semis.

But the Kenyans are more determined to win it this time, buoyed by one of their own John Lejrima who won the Uganda Open in 2020.

“You know anything can happen in golf but we are very confident, we have been working very hard as a team, and going by the scores, we have played very well and hope for the best,” Kenya team captain Dennis Maara said.

“We have experienced the worst and best of the course and the greens and the course are in perfect condition and it’s a course in which you can attack,”

Lejrima said the course has been prepared to suit their game because they are used to faster greens in Kenya and that as one of the ‘landlords’ in this country, "we’re here to win."

Uganda team Captain Cwinya-ai whose last round wasn’t as impressive as his opening three said they still had high hopes of winning it.

“We are going to give it our best and ensure we retain our trophy though the final round is under match play which is unpredictable,” Cwinya-ai stated.

Uganda was forced to substitute Michael Alunga who fell sick with Ibrahim Bagalana who is also confident of victory.

“Nsubuga and Cwinya-ai are playing well; it has been abrupt for me and I didn’t play to my expectations but I hope to have cooled down and I think we can win it,” Bagalana said.

Tanzania and Rwanda will fight for third place while Ethiopia and Rwanda will fight for fifth place.