ECAACT Ladies Golf tourney tees off October in Kenya

DAR ES SALAAM: ALL eyes are on Team Tanzania, the reigning champions, as the prestigious East and Central All Africa Challenge Trophy (ECAACT) returns this October at the scenic Great Rift Valley Lodge & Golf Resort in Naivasha, Kenya.

Tanzania Ladies Golf Union (TLGU) President, Queen Siraki, confirmed that preparations are in full swing to assemble a strong squad ahead of the tournament that is scheduled to tee off from October 20 to 25 this year.

Organised by the Kenya Ladies Golf Union (KLGU), the 2025 edition will bring together elite women golfers from across East and Central Africa.

Twelve nations are expected to compete, to wit, Burundi, Kenya, Malawi, Mauritius, Madagascar, Réunion, Rwanda, Seychelles, Uganda, Zambia and Tanzania.

“We are in the final stages of selecting the national team that will be ready to defend the title at this prestigious tournament,” said Siraki.

She noted that the competition is expected to be even more intense this year, but Tanzania is ready for the challenge.

Tanzania’s triumph in the previous edition marked a historic milestone, showcasing the team’s growth and rising dominance in regional women’s golf.

The victory was led by a formidable lineup featuring team captain Hawa Wanyeche, along with Neema Olomi, Madina Iddi and Vicky Elias.

The Tanzanian squad stunned perennial favourites with consistent performances and strategic brilliance to clinch their first ECAACT title.

Their 2023 victory, achieved through strong individual rounds and exceptional team spirit, set a new benchmark for the country’s emerging female golfers.

“Our goal is to defend the title with pride and inspire more young women in Tanzania to take up golf,” said Siraki.

“We know the competition will be fierce, especially with host nation Kenya fielding a strong team, but we are ready.”

The tournament, sanctioned by the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) and supported by The R&A, offers more than just bragging rights.

It provides international exposure for the region’s top female golfers and plays a key role in the development of amateur women’s golf in Africa.

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The gallant ladies’ team bravely defended their title in the last edition, held at the Kigali Golf Resort & Villas in Rwanda’s capital city.

They emerged victorious by a margin of seven strokes, finishing with a total of 689—six shots better than their winning score at the 2019 edition in Entebbe, Uganda.