TEAM KENYA OPTIMISTIC AS AACT TEES OFF AT MUTHAIGA GOLF CLUB
Kenya ladies team members receive the national flag from First Lady Margaret Kenyatta recently. They will be out to win the AACT tournament at home.
By CORRESPONDENT
The twelveth edition of the All Africa Challenge Trophy (AACT) gets underway tomorrow (Tuesday, 10 June) at Muthaiga Golf Club, Nairobi. The last round will be played on Thursday, 12 June. The 54 holes championships returns to Kenya after 20 years.
A colourful Official Opening and Flag raising ceremony was held on Sunday afternoon, officiated by the newly appointed Sports Registrar, Rose Wasike. Also present was the AACT President and founder of the championships, Tessa Covell of Zimbabwe. Guests were entertained by Sarakasi Dancers and Acrobats after the Flag Raising.
The AACT is a biennial continental ladies golf championship and 17 countries have registered with 48 players contesting for the prestigious trophy – first played for in 1992 in Zimbabwe. Following the inaugural event in 1992 at Chapman Golf Club, Harare, Zimbabwe, the event has been to all corners of Africa – South Africa, Ivory Coast, Nigeria, Egypt, Namibia, Botswana, Zambia and Namibia. Defending champions, South Africa arrived on Saturday, together with Cameroon, Egypt, Gabon, Ghana, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe. The last two teams – Malawi and Botswana arrived Sunday afternoon.
The All Africa Challenge Trophy will bring together the best lady amateur golfers on the continent. Each country is represented by a maximum of 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.
South Africa has dominated over the years – with the exception of 2006 when the team trophy was awarded to Egypt. The winner of the Best Junior player in Botswana was Kenya’s Naomi Wafula whilst her mentor, Kenya’s Rose Naliaka won the individual trophy in 2002.
The Kenya team to the AACT includes Naomi Wafula (Rose Naliaka Academy) Josephine Ainley (Nakuru) and Christina Engell Andersen (Muthaiga). Kenya are the holders of the Gilberson & Page trophy, a triangular test match between Kenya, Zambia and Zimbabwe that was last played in Nairobi in 2013. air max 95 air max 95