Baguma looks to better outing with national golf team

Private Richard Baguma has always remained that promising golfer that needs a little polishing to hit the big stage, but after topping the national team qualifier for the first time in four years, his star might have shone eventually.

The UPDF golfer and national team player recently returned 289 gross over four rounds of qualifiers to lead the race for a slot on the four-man team that is headed for the Zone V Africa Golf Championship at the Chapman Golf Club in Zimbabwe, April 8-13.

He attributed his correct form to serious training recently.

"I have been heating balls on the range and sometimes playing thirty six holes every day but mostly my short game has really improved a lot," Baguma stated.

"I have now gauged the strength of the team and I'm sure I will be among the top four because I was trailing by six strokes in the first round but determination saw me catch up and lead," Baguma noted.

Fresh from representing Uganda at the Africa Junior Championships in Morocco where Uganda grabbed bronze Joel Basalaine was also in good shape returning 290, one stroke behind the leader while Herman Mutebi also bounced back on the team with 294.

Abraham Ainamani will also continue for a first team place after finishing the qualifiers in fourth  with 296 just like Michael Alunga who followed with 301.

Team captain Becca Mwanja (303) and Edrine Okwong (305) will be joined by assistant captain Ronald Rugumayo for a battle of the final four slots between now and April 5 in a series of more qualifying events before the top four travel for the annual championship.

Just before the qualifiers last week the team members got a shocker when one of their own Yusuf Ssentongo who had made the cut to the team for the first time died in a gruesome boda boda accident.

Ssentongo had last played in the Singleton Match-play championship where he won the men's Group A subsidiary event.