Men’s African Golf Championship sets participation record in Hammamet

The men’s African Golf Championship has drawn a record 17 national teams to Hammamet. Hosted in Tunisia for the first time, the tournament brings together 68 competitors. The event runs from 14 to 17 October, while the competition itself is due to begin on Thursday, 15 October, and last three days, said Walid Omar, the organising committee’s president.

Mohamed Aziz Fetni, president of the Tunisian Golf Federation, said the event reaches beyond sport. He believes it can help promote golf tourism in Tunisia and establish the country as an international destination for the game. The presence of Johnson Omolo, president of the African Golf Confederation, and the planned Confederation electoral general assembly—to elect its executive bureau for the 2026/2030 term—were also cited as signs of confidence in Tunisia and its federation.

The tournament is contested by national teams, but it also has an individual component: winners in the individual events will receive points under the WAGR ranking system. Those points can improve their African and international rankings and help them qualify for regional and international events.

Tunisia’s team prepared for the tournament over the summer. It includes three players who have won the Tunisian Championship in recent years, as well as 17-year-old prospect Mehdi Ben Youssef. He is taking part in an elite training programme in the United States, established by the Arab Golf Federation to develop Arab talent. The educational and sporting programme at IMG school prepares trainees to enter American universities. Funding exceeds $100,000 a year for each player.

Johnson Omoro, president of the African Golf Confederation, expressed confidence in Tunisia’s ability to host the Championship. He also described the event as an opportunity to meet, share the game and discover Africa’s most talented golfers.