Uganda finishes sixth in All-Africa Golf Team Championships in Zimbabwe

The Uganda national golf team finished sixth out of eleven as the All-Africa Golf Team Championship concluded at the Bulawayo Golf Club course in Zimbabwe on Friday.

The four-man team carded 899 gross over the four-round, 72-hole stroke play championship from their best three scores each round, missing out on their pre-tournament goal of at least fourth place—the best Uganda has ever achieved in this championship.

Uganda was third in the standings after the third round and was on their way to making history if they held on, but they couldn't replicate their opening two rounds' performance, especially from their top players, Reagan Akena and Joseph Cwinya-ai.

Akena, who finished sixth overall out of 64 in the individual standings, played three-over 75 while Cwinya-ai returned with 74 in the last round and Ibrahim Ssemakula added a 79—scores that couldn't help their cause. Their opponents from Egypt and Zambia, who were one and two strokes below them after the third round, played better in the last round to overtake them.

Apart from Cwinya-ai and the in-form Akena, the Uganda team lacked enough experience as Elton Thembo and Ssemakula struggled to conquer the course throughout. “It was a great experience playing with some of Africa's best players, and I learned a lot. I thank the UGU for the opportunity they gave me. I intend to work on my mental game because I realize this is what is affecting us most,” Thembo said.

Ssemakula had a tournament he would want to forget quickly as he failed to score for the team until the last round with a 79. “I didn’t play well, but the tournament was good, and I learned a lot from it, especially course management. But I have to fix my putting because it is what let me down once again,” Ssemakula noted.

South Africa, led by Ivan Verster and Jordan Burnand, who played 9-under 279 over the four rounds each, won the championship by 35 strokes ahead of hosts Zimbabwe, whose best three players carded 879 overall. Michael Wallace was Zimbabwe's best performer with a total two-under 286, tied third with South African Arthur Astin in the individual standings.

Final Results

South Africa 844

Zimbabwe 879

Zambia 884

Mauritius 891

Egypt 894

Uganda 899

Malawi 912

Kenya 915

Gabon 954

Eswatini 955

Botswana 964

Individual performance

Reagan Akena 289

Joseph Cwinya-ai 295

Elton Thembo 315

Ibrahim Ssemakula 316