CONTINENTAL LADIES GOLF ATTRACTS 19 COUNTRIES
By CORRESPONDENT
The entries for this year’s All Africa Challenge Trophy (AACT), a biennial continental ladies golf championship to be held at Muthaiga Golf Club from June 8 to 12, has attracted 19 countries, including hosts Kenya and will be a World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) event.
Making this announcement at the conclusion of the Organising Committee’s fortnightly meeting yesterday, AACT Organising Committee chair, Dorcas Mbalanya said: “At the close of team entries, we have received 18 confirmations, and although we had planned to host 24 countries, we are pleased that there will be 19 teams competing in June.”
“We are grateful to the Royal and Ancient Club of St Andrew’s (R&A) for their financial support as well as listing the 2014 AACT Championships as a World Amateur Ranking Event. This will give our national and regional golfers a chance to get world ranking points”, she continued. Kenya’s top lady golfer, Naomi Wafula is the defending best junior golfer in Africa – a title she won in Botswana in 2012. Also unveiled was the tournament website: www.aactgolf.com which will incorporate live scoring during the three day championships.
Defending champions, South Africa are sending a strong team which includes their number 2 ranked junior, Cara Gorlei (Handicap +1); Magda Kruger (Handicap 1) ranked 2nd on Womens Golf South Africa (WGSA) senior ranking, and Michaela Fletcher (Handicap +1) ranked 4th on WGSA. The other countries include Botswana, Cameroon, Egypt, Gabon, Ghana, Malawi, Mauritius, Nigeria, Reunion, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe and hosts Kenya.
The All Africa Challenge Trophy will bring together the best lady amateur golfers on the continent. Each country is represented by three players and a non-playing captain. Using Eishenhower scoring, the best two scores per round count towards the daily team score in the 54-hole strokeplay format. First held in 1992 in Zimbabwe, Kenya hosted the second event 20 years ago at Muthaiga Golf Club.
The Kenya Ladies Golf Union (KLGU) the governing body for ladies golf in the country have been organizing golf fundraising tournaments since January, with great success. Vet Lab, Muthaiga, Karen and Nakuru have hosted events which has netted close to Sh 4 million towards hosting expenses. Four more events are scheduled at Royal Nairobi and Nyali on 9 May, Sigona on 23 May and Kakamega on 31 May.
The AACT will be followed by the Kenya Orient Insurance-sponsored Kenya Ladies Open Amateur Strokeplay championship, a 36 hole medal at Royal Nairobi on 14 and 15 June. nike air max trainers nike air max trainers