Uganda boys’ junior golf team are on their way to Japan for this year’s Toyota Junior Golf World Cup scheduled for June 20-23 at Chukyo Golf Club – Ishino Course.
The team was flagged off on Wednesday by Uganda Golf Union (UGU) and National Council of Sports (NCS) officials at Uganda Golf Club in Kampala.
Team Coach Flavia Namakula says that her side has prepared well and will put up a good show in Japan once the annual event tees off.
“The team has prepared well…it all started with the high performance program (that lasted for three days) and the two coaches we had from South Africa, Michael Balderstone and Mark trained the players very well. We looked at the swing analysis, putting skills and short game,” team Coach Flavia Namakula said at the flag-off adding that the sessions happened in late May.
“After that, we went to Lake Victoria Serena for training that lasted for a week (29th May to 4th June) because we had the Region IV Championship,” Namakula noted adding that at the moment the team is ready mentally and physically.
Uganda finished second behind Kenya at the Africa Region IV Championship that concluded a few days ago in Addis Ababa.
Joseph Reagan Akena and Juma Abiti who are part of the four-player team heading to Japan played at the Addis Ababa event alongside senior players Ibrahim Bagalana and Godfrey Nsubuga.
Ibrahim Ssemakula and Collin Matovu who complete the World Cup team stayed back and according to the team coach, the duo were training back at home and she was in touch with them.
“I believe they are ready…and for the juniors who were in Addis Ababa, the exposure they got helped them a lot and I believe while in Japan you’re going to see good results. I believe we are going to be good ambassadors for Uganda and Afric,” Namakula added.
According to UGU President, Moses Matsiko, participating in the Toyota Junior Golf World Cup presents enormous opportunities for the juniors and good exposure to international presence, which will help further sharpen their skill level and enhance their competitiveness.
At the flag-off ceremony, NCS was represented by Sarah Chelangat who is an administrative secretary at the Lugogo based statutory organ. She lauded UGU for focusing on junior programs that has made the team qualify for the World Cup.
Uganda boys’ golf team qualified for the global event after finishing second at the All Africa Junior Team Championship that was held in April this year at Lake Victoria Serena Golf Resort and Spa, Kigo. South Africa won the competition in both the boys’ and girls’ categories and the two nations will represent the African continent in the competition in Japan.
Uganda will be making their second appearance at the World Cup having made their debut in 2018.
The Toyota Junior Golf World Cup is an annual world amateur team golf championship for youths under 18 organized in Japan with Toyota Motor Corporation as title sponsor. The inaugural event for boys was held in 1992 and for girls in 2014.
