By SHAMAOMA MUSONDA –
THE Lusaka Golf Club has been picked as host for the 2015 Africa Junior Golf Challenge slated for May.
Zambia Junior Golf Association (ZJGA) chairperson Alloysius Phiri said in an interview yesterday and that the golf club had been picked ahead of other potential venues because of its state and experience at hosting international events.
Phiri said his association was elated with the decision by the Africa Golf Confederation (AGC) to pick Zambia to host the 2015 edition of Africa’s biggest junior golf stroke play championship that will run from May 3 to 8.
“We have picked Lusaka to host the Africa Junior Championship this year. We looked at many clubs but finally settled for Lusaka Golf Club and we are happy that this event has been given to Zambia. I guess we did a good job last time,” he said.
Zambia hosted last year’s edition of the Africa Junior Golf Challenge at Chainama Golf Club with the Reunion picked to host the 2015 edition but the small Island nation pulled out from hosting the high level junior event.
“So the Africa Golf Confederation send fillers across Africa asking which country was willing to host the event and we as Zambia, fresh from hosting another hugely successful tournament, said we were willing and thankfully, our interest was accepted,” Phiri said.
Zambia has made huge strides in junior golf in the last few years and in 2013, managed to get a first ever podium position after finishing third to winners South Africa and Zimbabwe in Mauritius.
The feat was repeated a year later when Zambia finished behind South Africa and Zimbabwe.
“This time we are overly expectant, we want our boys to finish either first or second. We know this is a steep challenge but we feel we have the right boys and right mentality to win us the African title. It’s our time to win this,” he said.
Phiri urged junior players to make sure that they are at their best and give their best for Zambia so that they can finally get to beat Zimbabwe and even South Africa at the Africa Junior Challenge.