Uganda blasts into Zone V1 championships lead

Apr 17, 2015

SOUTH Africa''s stronghold of the Zone V1 Africa Golf Championship could be broken once again this year after Uganda took a 6.5 points lead after day-one singles'' action at Kitante

By Michael Nsubuga

 

Standings

Uganda 6.5pts

South Africa 5.5

Kenya 5.5

Zimbabwe 5.5

Zambia 3.5

Botswana 3

Namibia 3

Swaziland 2

Malawi 1.5

 

How the Ugandans fared

Ronald Bukenya beat Paul Ndeilenga (Namibia) (2&1) 2-up

Gideon Kagyenzi lost to Justus Madoya (Kenya) 2-up

Happy Robert beat Nabeel Desai (Botswana) (2&1) 2-up

Ronald Otile beat Visitor Mapwanya (Zimbabwe) (2&1) 2-up

Adolf Muhumuza v Mathew Spacey (SA) (all square)

Martin Ochaya beat K. Mphulla (Malawi) (5&4) 5-up

Robert Oluba beat Peter Munyinya (Zambia) (2&1) 2-up

Lawrence Muhenda beat Sifiso Vilane (Swaziland) 1-up

 

Longest drive winner: Martin Ochaya (Uganda) 

 

SOUTH Africa's stronghold of the Zone V1 Africa Golf Championship could be broken once again this year after Uganda took a 6.5 points lead after day-one singles' action at Kitante.

 

Ronald Bukenya, Happy Robert, Ronald Otile, Martin Ochaya, Robert Oluba and Lawrence Muhenda all won their matches with Ugandan captain Adolf Muhumuza salvaging a half point against South Africa's Mathew Spacey to inspire Uganda into a 1.5 point lead after the day's action.

 

Gideon Kagyenzi was Uganda's only casualty losing to Kenya's Justus Madoya two-up.

 

Uganda's Happy Robert lines up a putt during day-one. Picture by Michael Nsubuga

South Africa's Mathew Spacey watches the flight of his ball at Kitante. Picture by Michael Nsubuga

Kenya's Justus Madoya tees off during day-one action of the Zone V1 Africa Golf Championships. Picture by Michael Nsubuga

Kagyenzi who took an early three-hole lead on the first nine later succumbed to pressure allowing the Kenyan to catch up by the 15th. The two players were level going to the 17th but Kagyenzi three-putted on the hole with the Kenyan scoring a 'sweet' par that put him in charge en-route to winning.

 

The early morning drizzle that caused a two-hour delay of the day's matches did not stop other Team-Uganda members from winning their tightly contested matches.

 

Apart from Ochaya who easily won 5-up against Malawi's Mphulla the rest of the Ugandan matches were decided with one hole to go.

 

Uganda's day-one performance had captain Muhumuza spitting fire ahed of the second and third rounds, today.

 

"We have 95 percent chances of winning this tournament now, so we are going to attack. It was a bad day for me and Kagyenzi, but I am going to fix my putting that let me down," Muhumuza said.

 

South Africa, Kenya and Zimbabwe are joint second on 5.5 points each while Zambia is third with 3.5 points.

 

The tournament continues today with the two-ball-better-ball round in the morning and the foursomes in the afternoon.

 

It will end with another singles round on Saturday before the prize ceremony thereafter.

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