Kamya gives nod to former team players as Mutebi leads golf qualifier

National team qualifier; Day 1-Top ten

Herman Mutebi 72
Titus Okwong 73
Becca Mwanja 73
Adolf Muhumuza 73
Joseph Cwinyai 75
Joel Basalaine 75
Ismail Mahmood 75
Hussein Bagalana 76
Grace Kasango 76
Michael Alunga 76
Edrine Okong 76
 
National amateur golf team coach Amos Kamya is not worried after losing five of his former first team players to the professional ranks.

Happy Robert, Ronnie Bukenya, Lawrence Muhenda, Henry Luggya and Robert Oluba who have all been instrumental players on the team are set to turn pro, not only to start earning money from the game but also to rejuvenate the Uganda Professional Golfers Association (UPGA).

"It is okay for them to move on. We have a number of solid youngsters who will step in their positions," Kamya said after day-one of the national team qualifiers at Kitante yesterday.

The tightly contested qualifiers continue Friday at Entebbe Club in a grueling 36-hole contest before a cut is made for the top 14 who will play for both the senior (8) and junior (6) teams.

After the first round of the qualifier, Entebbe Club and national team's Herman Mutebi is in the lead after returning level par 72.

Titus Okwong,  Becca Mwanja and former captain Adolf Muhumuza follow closely after carding one-over-par 73 while Joseph Chwinyai, Joel Basalaine and Ismail Mahmood are joint third on 75 gross each.

The team will be selected after the last round of 18 holes at Kitante tomorrow.

The first assignment for the team will be the All Africa Junior Championship in Tunisia in March ahead of the Zone V championships in Swaziland in April.