Overview:
The team of four players led by the captain Joseph Reegan Akena (Mehta Club), Juma Abiti (Mehta Club), Ibrahim Ssemakula (Mehta Club), Collins Matovu (Namulonge) and their head coach Flavia Namakula were officially flagged off at the Uganda Golf Club in Kampala.
The Uganda Junior national golf team departed for 2023 Toyota World Cup on Wednesday, 14th June.
The team of four players led by the captain Joseph Reegan Akena (Mehta Club), Juma Abiti (Mehta Club), Ibrahim Ssemakula (Mehta Club), Collins Matovu (Namulonge) and their head coach Flavia Namakula were officially flagged off at the Uganda Golf Club in Kampala.
National Council of Sports (NCS) administrator Sarah Chelengat witnessed the flag off ceremony also graced by the president Uganda Golf Union (UGU) Moses Matisko and his vice Dr Jackson Were.
Chelengat wished the team the very best and assured them of the full backing from Government.
“Go and carry aloft our national flag high during the Junior World Cup in Japan. We are very proud of you and NCS took full board of the travel arrangements. We have confidence in you. Your self-esteem will propel you further. You are not merely going to participate but to compete.” Chelengat stated.
She also commended the Uganda Golf Union for promoting the game in the countryside.
“I want to thank the Uganda Golf Union for spreading the game to the countryside. Recently, we had a tour of sports facilities in the Northern and North East regions. We were glad to witness the existence of golf facilities in those regions with active playing” She added.
On the team proper, handicap 7 player Collins Matovu, a member at Namulonge replaced Abdul Kakeeto who was part of the qualifiers at Lake Victoria Serena Golf Resort and Spa.
“We had issues to process Kakeeto’s passport since we submitted the documents two weeks earlier for visa processing. He (Kakeeto) and other members remain part and parcel of the team” Matisko explained his shock omission.
The other members on the team are Abiti, handicap 6 a member at Mehta Club in Lugazi.
Captain Akena, handicap 2.8 and Ssemakula, handicap 4 are also members at the vibrant Mehta Club.
“We are ready to give our best in the tournament. We have been training well and gone through every required details. I thank our coach (Namakula) and the others who chipped in here and other. I also thank the Uganda Golf Union, the members and the National Council of Sports for all the necessary support” Akena stated.
Head coach Namakula believes their early travel to Japan will help them acclimatize to the weather, food and course.
“We have traveled early to Japan and hope we shall reach well by Friday, 16th June 2023 to get used to the weather, food and have time to practice as well. The players had a high performance training spell in Kampala and this put them in shape for the tournament” Namakula, a female golf professional remarked.
The 2023 Toyota World Junior Golf championship will tee off on Monday, 19th June with the official practice round.
This will be followed by grueling four rounds of action.