Team Uganda was forced to execute a change as Ibra Bagalana came on for Michael Alunga prior to the third round of the 2022 Africa Zone IV Golf Championship.
After struggling for two rounds on day one, Alunga fell sick at the team hotel (Lake Victoria Serena).
The technical team led by head coach Flavia Namakula made a swift decision and called in one of the players on stand-by (reserve), Bagalana.
Fast come, Bagalana quickly came into action during the third round on Friday morning, playing 11-over 83.
During the opening two rounds, Alunga had struggled to find the rhyme as his current form had eluded him.
For the opening round, he was 10-over par 82 and only improved by two strokes in the subsequent round (8-over 80).
“He (Alunga) reportedly felt unwell while at the team hotel and had to seek quick medical attention” a team member revealed before the decision to replace him was made.
Bagalana was called in quickly to join the rest of the members. His first showing (during round three) was rather disappointing with a 11-over par 83 score.
Coming to the tournament proper, Alunga was the most on-form Ugandan having featured prominently in Kenya and Zambia during different tournaments.
Kenya picked the maximum three points from round three to make it 8.5 after 54 holes’ action.
The hosts Uganda followed with 3.0 points for a total of 8 points in three rounds.
Uganda’s team captain Joseph Cwinya-ai led by example with a level par score (72) during round three having earlier played 72 and 71 during the first and second rounds respectively.
The fourth round was held on Friday afternoon to make the 72 holes’ action in stroke play.
On Saturday, the championship will officially come to a climax with a grand finale (match play format).
Uganda has won the previous two editions in 2018, hosted by Kenya and 2019 in Burundi.