Regional golf body releases Zone 5 fixtures

The East African Golf Federation has release fixture for the inaugural African Zone Five Golf Challenge Trophy.

The first ever tournament is scheduled to tee off from October 30 to November 1st this year at the Great Rift Valley Golf Resort, Naivasha, Nairobi, Kenya. The fixture availed to the ‘Daily News’ by the Tanzania Golf Union (TGU) Vice-Chairman, Joseph Tango shows that all competing teams are expected to arrive in Nairobi on October 28, while flag raising ceremony will be staged the following day.

Teams will battle it out in single match play in day one, while day two morning will witness golfers compete in Foursomes format before switching to Four Ball Better Ball in the afternoon. The fixture further shows that the final day once again will see teams battling it out in single match play before the 2013 winner is unveiled.

This is the same format that is used in the annual African Zone Six event which Tanzania used to participate since early 90s before the introduction of Zone Five. Tanzania like other East African countries were participating in the Zone Six as guest teams.

Tango said recently that it was not wise for them to continue competing at the Zone Six as guest because they have an opportunity to organise and promote the regional (Zone Five) championships. “It is after the agreement and commitment we made in Bujumbura, Burundi during the East African Challenge Trophy last year.

We felt that there was a need of having our own zonal tournament, rather than just wait to be invited as guest participants at the Zone Six events,” he said. He said that according to the rules governing the game, eight countries can form a zone.

The region used to have five countries including Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi who are competing at the East Africa Challenge Trophy, but has invited Ethiopia, Congo DRC, South Sudan and Central African Republic to join them to form Zone Five.

He said the new formed zone has the blessings from the world governing body– Royal and Ancient Golf Club (R & A) of St. Andrew Scotland. He said that now than ever, the TGU need to concentrate and put all their focus on preparing a competitive team ready for the Nairobi event searching first silverware in the event.