Naomi Wafula (right), a member of the ladies national team is awarded for her feat in this past photo.

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 4^th 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

Daniel Nduva in action during the Kenya open Golf Championships. He is among the junior players selected to represent the country at the Africa Junior Championships in Zambia next week.

By KGG REPORTER

Junior Golf Foundation Kenya a subsidiary of Kenya Golf Union today announced the team that will represent Kenya in the forthcoming Africa junior golf Championship 2014 to be held from 27th April to 1st May 2014 in Chainama Hills Golf Club, Lusaka Zambia.

This year tournament has attracted 16 participating countries. Last year the tournament was held in Mauritius where Kenya finished fifth behind South Africa, Zimbabwe, Zambia and Uganda.

While announcing the team the Chairman, Junior Golf Foundation Mr. Ashwin Gidoomal said: “the 2014 campaign presents another window of opportunity for our juniors to excel and use the opportunity presented by the tournament as a springboard for elite sport and future Olympic Games.”

He added: “It is true that golf, worldwide, is perceived to be an economic and social elitist sport, however, JGF is proud to be part of an initiative that strives at changing the perception of participation in professional golf to be about talent and only talent. Initiatives of this nature are an attempt to move the sport of golf from abstract to concrete. We are convinced that these young people who will participate in the tournament are our future Olympians, without doubt, will represent Kenya in the next coming 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil”.

At the continental event, each team will comprise of four players and a non-playing manager or coach and is contested over 72 holes of stoke play with 18 holes played daily over four days.

The country with the lowest gross score over the 4 rounds (3 scores to count per team) will be the AGTC Champions. There is also a prize for the best individual gross score over the 4 rounds.
Many African Golf Professionals on the various tours around the world have participated in the tournament over the years and some are well known personalities including Major tournament winners.

The Kenyan team will be led by Taufiq Balala (Team Manager) who will be accompanied by JGF head coach Charles Farrar. The players include Daniel Nduva (Nyali), Mathew Wahome- (Nyali), Adel Balala- (Nyali) currently in South Africa and Tahir Mohamed (Nyali). cheap air max 97 cheap air max 97