The tournament, which tees off at Tazegzout Golf Course tomorrow, has attracted 21 team including favourites South Africa, Zambia and Egypt. Uganda’s reasons for optimism rest in the form of Peace Kabasweka whose brilliant form was highlighted in the two titles she lifted in Nigeria last month.
The affable Kabasweka, who is the team captain, says she and her colleagues have spent sufficient time working on their physical and mental condition.
“Golf is played not only with the hands but also in the head and our coach Flavia [Namakula] has spent considerable time ensuring that we are in the right frame of mind for Morocco,” Kabasweka told The Observer.
Besides Kabasweka, Uganda will also be represented by the experienced Martha Babirye and Meron Kyomugisha. The team was flagged off by the minister of state for sports Peter Ogwang who called upon the girls to represent the country honourably.
“We have no doubt that the team that has been put together has a lot of talent and the message I deliver from my boss, the First Lady, is that you must be exemplary in your behaviour because everything in life starts with discipline,” Ogwang noted at last Friday’s flag-off ceremony at Uganda Golf Club.
The team will play a practice round today before the competition tees off tomorrow. It will be a medal event and each country’s two best scores are what will be considered for the team total. The tournament will be played over three days.
In Morocco, the team will be coached by Flavia Namakula while Gloria Mbaguta is accompanying them as the team manager. The president of the Uganda Ladies Golf Union Doreen Mwesigye is also in Agadir.
The team camped at the par-72 Lugazi Hills Golf & Country Club before heading to Serena for another residential camp. Namakula, meanwhile, is confident.
“These players have been carrying their own golf bags and we tackled every aspect of the game; we have the right yardages for the course in Agadir and are ready for action,” she said.
Started in 1992, the All-Africa Trophy Challenge is a biennial continental ladies’ golf championship. South Africa have won all titles except in 2006 when Egypt upset the form book.
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