Tanzanian golfers to grace international event

SOUTH AFRICA: TANZANIA will be in the spotlight as its top four golfers tee off today at the first-ever prestigious Africa Amateur Golf Championship in South Africa.

Organized by the Golf World governing body The Royal Golf Ancient (R & A) of Scotland, the championship brings together top African ladies and men amateur golfers in a 72-hole four-day battle at the Leopard Creek Country Club.

Madina Iddi from Arusha Gymkhana Club (AGC) and Vicky Elias from Tanzania People’s Defence Forces (TPDF) Lugalo golf club of Dar es Salaam will compete in the ladies’ category while Isiaka Daudi also from Lugalo Club and Ally Isanzu from TPC Moshi Club will battle for the men’s top honour.

Madina and Vicky were the only Tanzanian ladies listed in the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) last year after victories in different open events in and outside the country while also doing well in the national team assignment.

Daudi and Isanzu won an R & A invitation due to their best performance which helped them to top the 2023 national order of merit.

Speaking with the ‘Daily News’ from South Africa yesterday, the country’s representatives at the showdown said they are in good shape and looking forward to the tough battle ahead.

Madina said that they both arrived in South Africa last Sunday and had an 18-hole practice round on Monday as they got a familiarisation tour of the course. Yesterday, the team played 9 holes and went for the chipping and putting practice, according to her.

“The course is very long compared to what we have in AGC, if you finish playing 18 holes here it means you have already walked about 15 km, in AGC it is only 8km, it is far different from what we are used to having, but it is okay we have to deal with that and beat the course,” she said. “The other challenge is green, they are very fast, I have never seen green running like that one.”

However, Madina said that they were ready and would do their best to ensure they do well and fly the Tanzanian flag high. On his part, Elias said he is blessed to have seen different courses in the region but has never seen one as beautiful as the one in South Africa.

“The course is so beautiful, but the biggest challenge is green, they are running so badly,” he disclosed. “We will start the real business tomorrow (today) and we understand it is going to be televised live all over the world, which is exciting too.

Surely patience paid off, I have now come to realise that when you have a dream of something good, God fulfills it. “Organisers have done a wonderful job. Participation in this event itself is already a victory. This is a great history for me,” said Elias