Golfers keen on top honours in Dar meet

Tanzanian golfer Hassan Kadio watches his tee shot during a training session at the Dar es Salaam Ghymkhana Club recently. He is among players expected to compete in the Zone Five tournament in August. PHOTO|FILE

What you need to know:

  • The TGU chairman, Joseph Tango, said yesterday that the championship would tee off on August 22 at the Dar es Salaam Gymkhana Club.
  • Over 10 countries are expected to compete in the four-day tournament to be played in Ryder Cup format.

Dar es Salaam. Tanzania Golf Union (TGU) is soliciting funds for this year’s edition of Africa Zone V Championship, it has been revealed.

The TGU chairman, Joseph Tango, said yesterday that the championship would tee off on August 22 at the Dar es Salaam Gymkhana Club.

Over 10 countries are expected to compete in the four-day tournament to be played in Ryder Cup format.

He named the countries as Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda, Burundi, Ethiopia, Sudan, Seychelles, Madagascar, Eritrea, Djibouti and hosts Tanzania.

The TGU boss said they would unveil a 20-member provisional squad for the championship in July.

The squad will later be trimmed to ten players who will make the final squad for the tournament, according to Tango.

He fell short of revealing the place where the team would camp, but the Dar es Salaam Gymkhana Club is most likely venue as players need to synchronise with it ahead of the showdown.

Low handicapper amateurs are prime target of team selection but will also depend on their form and performance during training sessions.

The tournament will be a match-play one with singles on the opening day, then four-ball-better-ball and alternate shots foursome on the subsequent day. Singles will conclude the itinerary of the tournament on the final day.

However, Tango did not reveal how much they need to stage the regional championship.

Staging the event will be his (Tango’s) biggest assignment ever since he elected the TGU boss a couple of years ago.

Dar es Salaam’s competitive amateur golf has been highly crippled by migration of youngsters who opt to join the paid ranks.

The last time Tanzania hosted such a high-profile amateur match-play championship dates back to 2006 in Arusha, where the East African Challenge Golf was staged.