Uganda finishes 7th at All Africa Junior Golf Championships

Uganda junior golfers found the going tough at the 18th edition of the All-Africa Junior Golf Championship in Tunisia, finishing 7th out of nine countries.

Fielding an almost entire new team at the annual championship, the Ugandans could not cope with the windy conditions at the El Kantoui Golf Course in Sousse s finishing with a gross score of 1022 over the four rounds.

Apart from Herman Mutebi 'Deco' who was on the team that represented the country in Zambia last year, the rest of the players that include Morris Asaba, Adrine Okong and Joel Basalaine were only making their debuts not only on the team but also at this stage.

Surprisingly the new comers performed better than Mutebi with Mehta Golf Club's Edwin Okwong returning the best gross score of 337 for team Uganda over the four-day action. He finished 24th overall out of 36 participants.

Morris Asaba was Uganda's second best performer finishing 26th (347 gross) while Herman 'Deco' Mutebi (349) was the team's other scorer with Joel Basalaine (354) finishing 29th in the championship that was won by South Africa.

In the net score standings Uganda came last with Nigeria who had golfers of double handicaps winning on that front with 883nett.

Uganda's best ever placing has been fourth place which they achieved in Mauritius in 2013. Last year Uganda finished fifth and third overall in the gross and net scores respectively at the Chainama Golf Club in Zambia.

South Africa underlined their dominance by claiming their 18th successive title in the annual championship with an emphatic 43 stroke victory.

South Africa and Zimbabwe will for the third year running consequently represent the continent at the prestigious Junior Golf World Cup in Japan later this year.

Uganda scores

Edwin Okwong 86+82+89+80 337

Morris Asaba    87+85+89+86 347

Deco Mutebi     90+82+89+88 349

Joel Basalaine   96+92+81+85 354

Final Standings 1.South Africa 872

2.Zimbabwe 915
3.Morocco 945
4.Tunisia 955
5.Egypt 969
6.Kenya 976
7.Uganda 1022
8.Zambia 1024
9.Nigeria 1095