For Uganda’s next generation of golfers, the Africa Region IV Junior Team Championship in Mauritius was less about podium finishes and more about valuable lessons that will shape their future careers.
Competing at the picturesque Tamarina Golf and Spa Resort, the quartet of Banza Matsiko, Shaka Kariisa, Keisha Wiltshire Kagoro, and Elizabeth Danelle Kawalya finished fourth overall with a team score of +109, but their biggest takeaway was the exposure to high-level continental competition.
The final round underlined both the challenges and potential within the team, with the boys and girls posting identical scores: Kagoro and Kariisa carded 84 apiece, while Matsiko and Kawalya returned 90 each.
The championship was dominated by Reunion (+28), with Kenya finishing second (+59) and hosts Mauritius third (+85). Uganda followed in fourth, ahead of Tanzania (+141) and Madagascar (+153).
Reunion’s Melliyal Schmitt stole the spotlight individually with impressive rounds of 67, 70, and 72.
The message from Mauritius was clear: while Uganda’s juniors are not yet among the continent’s elite, they are on the right path. With patience, deliberate effort, and sustained investment, the Tamarina experience could mark the start of something bigger for Ugandan golf.
