Serengeti Breweries Limited (SBL) through its Tusker Brand has announced sponsorship of two prestigious golf events in that include the Tanzania Golf Open and the thirteenth edition of the East Africa Challenge Golf Trophy that will take place at the nine-hole Arusha Gymkhana Club course. The sponsorship deal amounts to Tzs 9 million. The three day East Africa Challenge Golf Trophy teed off yesterday brings together amateur golfers from the five East African Community (EAC) member states that include Kenya, Uganda, Burundi, Rwanda and Tanzania, the host. The East Africa Challenge is an International Golf Tournament approved by the Royal and Ancient of St. Andrews Golf Limited (R&A) and is organized under the auspices of the Tanzania Golf Union.
It’s an annual tournament hosted by members of the five East African countries namely Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi on a rotational basis. Last year Rwanda hosted the event where Tanzania emerged third.
Speaking during the sponsorship announcement in Dar es Salaam today, The Corporate Relations Director at Serengeti Breweriers Limited Teddy Mapunda said that it has always been the company’s spirit to sponsor major sports activities after its successful sponsorship of the Tusker Challenge Cup that has helped to uplift talent in the EAC region.
“Sponsoring sports event has been part of our culture as a company. Golfers have already turned up in Arusha for the East African Challenge Golf Trophy tees and after the climax of the regional event, the golfers will also take part in the 72-hole Tanzania Open, which will start on Thursday,” she said.
She added that the company would provide the necessary food and refreshments to all participants to keep them in form during the event.
A representative of the Tanzania Golfers Union (TGU) Mr. Dionez Malinzi who was present at the event said that the championship will get underway with singles match-plays adding that each team would play eight ties against the opposition.
Each team would field nine players including a reserve one but thehost team has waived the opportunity of a reserve player.
The full line up of the Tanzanian team is skipper Frank Roman, Abbas Adam, Nuru Mollel, John Leonce, Elisante Lembris, Aidan Nziku, John Said and the only teenager Victor Joseph.
The team coach Farayi Chitengwa has confidence that his team will out-perform its opponents during the tournament while downplaying the prowess of eight times champions Kenya.
The first and last time Tanzania won the Challenge Golf Trophy was in September 2002 at the same venue under captaincy of Adam Mohamed and coaching duo of Mbwana Juma and Salim Mwanyenza.
Tanzania threw overboard another glorious opportunity to win the title at home in 2006 at the same venue to finish fourth in the final standings.
Tanzania has this time fielded a rather competent side but it has to work above the call of duty to subdue the Kenyan and Ugandan teams.
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