The national golf team have stepped up preparations for the forthcoming 18th edition of the East African Golf Challenge slated for October 27-30 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

The team of nine players are currently being put through their final paces under the tutelage of head coach Ernest Ndayisenga at the par 9 new Kigali golf course in Nyarutarama before flying to Addis Ababa on Tuesday next week.

Since 2005 when Rwanda Golf Union was incorporated into the East African Golf Federation, the national team has been a regular participant in the annual tournament. However, they are yet to break the title jinx in a tournament that has so far been dominated by Uganda and Kenya.

Speaking to Times Sport, yesterday, head coach Ndayisenga disclosed that his team are in good shape after two months of training.

"Our mission is to break the eleven year title jinx and we hope to win the title this year because we have a better team compared to previous editions,” said Ndayisenga

He noted; "We have players who now see golf as a career unlike the past when many players never took the sport seriously, the mindset has completely changed and each player is eager to take their career to another level, which is a motivating factor.”

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.

The players that are going to represent the country include; Emmanuel Nkurunziza, Aloys Nsabimana, Leonard Nkurunziza (team captain), Francois Habimana, Celestin Nsanzuwera, James Ndikumana, Emmanuel Rutayisire, Patrick Uwumukiza and Aphrodis Nyirinkwaya.

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