The national golf team, on Monday, begun rigorous daily training sessions ahead of the 18th edition of the East African Golf Challenge slated for October 25-29 in Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa.

The 12-man team is currently getting through their paces at the par 9 new Kigali golf courses in Nyarutarama seeking to end an eleven-year jinx.

"On Monday, the team started intensive daily preparations and everything is going according to plan, we are expecting to get a South African trainer, Mpho Kelosiwang, who will help with the preparations, from October 7-15,” said Kigali Golf club captain Dr Davis Kashaka.

The East African Golf challenge attracts teams from Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi and Ethiopia and is hosted on a rotational basis across member countries.

This will be the first time Ethiopia will be hosting the annual tournament.

"We hope to win the title this year because we have a better team compared to previous editions, we have also been boosted by a new course, which is helping the team prepare comfortably,” Kashaka added.

Last year, in Kigali, Rwanda finished in the third place.

This is the fourth time that the annual tournament is being competed for involving finest amateur golfers from their respective countries since 2005 when the Rwanda Golf Union was incorporated into the East African Golf Federation.

According to Kashaka, only nine players will be selected from the current 12-man team two weeks before the side flies to Addis Ababa where they are expected to arrive on October 24.

Players currently in training include; Afrodis Nyirinkwaya, Celestin Habineza, Leonard Nkurunziza, Emmanuel Rutayisire, Alloys Nsabimana and Francois Habimana.

Others are Celestin Nsanzuwera, James Ndikumana, Patrick Umukuza, Emmanuel Nkurunziza, Paul Uwitonze and Emile Nshimiyumuremyi.

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