Uganda trails as the AAJTC Golf Championships start in Kenya

Uganda opened their 2026 All Africa Junior Team Championship (AAJTC) campaign in fourth position as the event began yesterday at the Windsor Golf Hotel & Country Club in Nairobi. 

The Uganda boys carded an opening round of 14-over 230 to finish the day in fourth, one stroke ahead of Morocco in fifth.

Anthony Otukei led Uganda’s charge with a 1-over 73, with team captain Peter Mayende chipping in with a 78 as Shaka Kariisa Ndyabahika contributed 80 to the day’s score. 

John Paul Rugumambaju carded a non-scoring 81 in the team event featuring 14 countries. 

The girls' team, featuring Keisha Wiltshire Kagoro, Rachael Laura Natukunda, and Elizabeth Danelle Kawalya, finished the opening round in sixth place out of 11 teams.

Natukunda and Kagoro scored 83 and 84, respectively, which counted for the day’s score, with Elizabeth Danelle Kawalya returning a non-scoring 89.

Each team’s best three and two scores per round count in the boys' and girls' divisions, respectively, and the lowest cumulative scores after three days will determine the winners. 

The top teams in each gender will qualify to represent Africa at the Toyota Junior World Cup in Nagoya, Japan, in September. Record winners South Africa are eight strokes ahead of hosts Kenya after the opening round. 

South Africa was led by Andries van der Vyver, who carded an individual best of the round of four-under 68, as well as Cilliers Craig and Dewan De Bruin, who played level-par 72 each. Roelof Craig returned a non-counting 79 for the record champions, who have dominated this championship for over 13 years.

Kenya, in second, is represented by Junaid Manji, Tsevi Soni, Yuvraj Rajput, and Mwathi Gicheru, who were part of the team that won the Victoria Cup against Uganda early this month. Soni (72), Manji (73), and Rajput (75) scored for Kenya, with Gicheru also returning 75. 

Mauritius finished the opening round in third, one stroke better than Uganda, while Zimbabwe is sixth. In the girls’ competition, it is again South Africa in the lead, ten strokes ahead of Kenya.

Phenyo Sebata and Steyn Lourenda carded 69 and 71, respectively, with Casey Twidale returning a non-scoring 78. On their part, Kenya had Bianca Ngecu and Kanana Muthomi return 75 and 76, with Belinda Wanjiru’s 79 not counting in their round one score. 

Mauritius is in third, 17 strokes off the leading score, but a stroke better than Uganda in fourth. Last year, Uganda finished fifth out of 12 countries in the boys’ competition and eighth out of nine in the girls’ contest in Tunisia.

Leaderboard-Boys

South Africa 68 72 72 212

Kenya           72 73 75 220

Mauritius     75 76 78 229

Uganda         73 78 79 230

Morocco        74 78 80 231

Zimbabwe     75 77 81 233

Zambia         76 77 81 234

Botswana      77 80 82 239

Namibia        78 82 83 243

Egypt            82 82 86 250

Ghana           82 84 85 251

Tanzania       80 81 90 251

Côte d'Ivoire  80 85 88 253

Tunisia         86 89 90 265

Leaderboard—Girls

South Africa 69 71 139

Kenya           75 76 149

Tunisia         78 79 157

Morocco        78 80 158

Zimbabwe     79 85 164

Uganda         83 84 167

Botswana      85 88 173

Ghana           86 94 180

Mauritius      90 95 185   

Zambia         94102 196

Egypt           96 101 197