It's all square between Uganda and Kenya as Victoria Cup starts
Jul 04, 2019
Despite starting strongly in the opening four-ball-better-ball round, where they picked 3-1 points, Uganda failed to replicate their morning form, losing by the same margin in the afternoon foursomes, to end the day on four points each.
KAMPALA - The Uganda national golf team still has a mountain to climb in pursuit of their first Victoria Cup after starting the first day of the fourth edition championship all-square against Kenya at Kitante Wednesday.
Despite starting strongly in the opening four-ball-better-ball round, where they picked 3-1 points, Uganda failed to replicate their morning form, losing by the same margin in the afternoon foursomes, to end the day on four points each.
The combination of Joseph Cwinya-ai and Godfrey Nsubuga made easy work of rookies Koribi Gitiramu/Daniel Kiragu, winning by four holes, with three left to play while Daniel Baguma/Rodell Gaita and Grace Kasango/Michael Alunga registered a uniform 3 holes win over Daniel Nduva/Paul Muchangi and Simon Njogu/Mathew Wahome with two holes to go respectively as Uganda got off to a flyer.
But the Kenyans who are looking to win their fourth title in a row proved they will not be pushovers as they picked three wins in the afternoon.
"We now have a big chance of winning this trophy and I believe we will be able to win all matches. We started slowly in the morning because we have newcomers on the team who we want to make strong, so hopefully on Thursday we are going to win everything," Robinson Owiti, the most capped member on the Kenyan team said.
But Uganda's captain Cwinya-ai is also still hopeful of his team making amends on the second day that is going to be played in the same format.
"The foursomes always give us problems because some of our players are not hard hitters and that gives us a challenge but the boys are really focused to make improvement in the foursomes and we still have 95% chances of winning," Cwinya-ai said.
Last year, Kenya registered one of the biggest wins over Uganda as they completed a hat-trick of wins at the Vetlab Golf Club in Nairobi. The hosts garnered 19.5 points to Uganda's 6.5 over three days of action in five rounds, to claim the cup for the third successive time following earlier victories at Muthaiga and Entebbe Golf Clubs in 2016 and 2017 respectively.
Uganda's Joseph Cwinya-ai reacts after holing out on No.11 during the Victoria Cup
KCB VICTORIA CUP
Round one (Four-ball-better-ball)
Uganda 3 Kenya 1pts
Joseph Cwinya-ai/Godfrey Nsubuga bt Koribi Gitiramu/Daniel Kiragu; 4&3
Daniel Baguma/Rodell Gaita bt Daniel Nduva/Paul Muchangi; 3&2
Grace Kasango/Michael Alunga bt Simon Njogu/Mathew Wahome; 3&2
Samuel Njoroge/Mutahi Kibugu bt Denis Asaba/Emmanuel Jakisa; 1UP
Round two (foursomes)
Uganda 1 Kenya 3pts
William Odera/Robinson Owiti bt Joseph Cwinya-ai/Godfrey Nsubuga; 5&3
Daniel Nduva/Paul Muchangi bt Michael Alunga/Ashiraf Bagalana; 4&3
Samuel Njoroge/Mutahi Kibugu bt Dennis Asaba/Emmanuel Jakisa; 4&3
Daniel Baguma/Rodell Gaita bt Simon Njogu/Mathew Wahome; 1UP
Total: Uganda 4pts Kenya 4pts