THE ladies golf team 'Tanzania One' has successfully defended their East and Central All Africa Golf Challenge Trophy (ECAACT) title by seven strokes.
They beat strong competitors from seven countries at the Kigali Golf Resort & Villas in Rwanda's capital city, Kigali, on Friday.
The spirited Tanzanian team secured the overall team title, after returning 689 total strokes, which is six shots better than their last tournament title won in Entebbe, Uganda in 2019.
Before the Rwanda event, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Culture, Arts and Sports, Gerson Msigwa, handed over the National Flag to the Tanzanian envoys.
He called on the golf team to recount their previous victory and use it as inspiration for the upcoming tournament.
Tanzania's closest challenger, Kenya, aggregated 696 and finished in second place, while Uganda finished third with 705 strokes. Zambia finished 4th with a total of 752, host Rwanda was 5th with a total of 774, Mauritius was 6th with a total of 797, and Burundi was at the bottom with a total of 926 strokes.
The tournament's historic winner, Tanzania, clinched a record fourth ECAACT title by performing exceptionally well in the rain-interrupted event.
The Tanzanian team started strongly and collected 233 best three scores in the first round, leading by seven shots over second-placed Kenya, who started slowly with 240. In the second round, Tanzania improved to 230, but Kenya was much better with 228.
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In the closing round, Tanzania had to calm down to stop Kenya after returning an impressive 226 as their opponents managed 228 again in the two-horse race.
Tanzanian heroine, Madina Iddi's brilliance helped her side win the event again, but she could not retain her title won in Uganda. Madina finished overall second grossed 230 (78, 78, 74) total tied by county-mate Neema Olomi (77, 77, 76) in the three day onslaught but beaten by a shot by new champion Kenyan Ashley Awuor 229 (79, 73, 77).
National team captain, Hawa Wanyeche had a difficult start to the event with 82 gross but improved in the second round with 78 and 76 in the closing round to aggregate 236 tied at 7th by debutant Vicky Elias 78, 75, 83.
Th e national team was under the Tanzania Ladies Golf Union (TLGU) President Queen Siraki, who was happy to see her players bring back the title.
Siraki expressed her gratitude to all the supporters and sponsors, including the government through the Ministry of Culture Arts and Sports, airpay Tanzania, and Great Lakes Freights & Transport, whose support was key in making this participation and winning a success.
She congratulated the team on their amazing success, saying, "This was an unimaginable fight to defend this title! We saw the game of golf in its true colours!
Our heartfelt gratitude goes out to all for the great wishes. To our golden golf ladies... our golf machines, who gave us this winning... we got this, thank you and let's celebrate this win.
