Leemisa Thuseho
LESOTHO has assembled a strong team to represent the country at the 2026 Region 5 Golf Championship.
The region’s premier golfing event is scheduled to take place from 4 to 9 May in Eswatini at the Ezulwini Golf and Country Club.
The tournament is expected to feature nine of the 10 Region 5 member countries, with Angola set to miss out for undisclosed reasons. Participating nations include Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Each country will field a team of four players.
Lesotho’s squad is captained by talented Tlotliso Khabo and includes Realeboha Rakobuoa, Mohau Mochebelele and Mlaba Linakane.
Rakobuoa boasts a handicap of two, while Khabo plays off three. Linakane has a handicap of four, with Mochebelele on 12.
Speaking to the Lesotho Times, team coach, Ernest Moloi, expressed confidence in the squad’s readiness.
“The four players have earned this opportunity through consistent performances over the past year,” Moloi said.
He added that the championship provides a valuable platform for players to showcase their talent and gain international exposure.
“The players are ready, and none of them are new at this level. This tournament is an important platform for regional competition, talent development and the promotion of golf across the region and beyond,” he said.
“Each country sends its best players, so it is always a fantastic opportunity for our golfers to test themselves against top talent in Africa. We are confident this team will represent Lesotho with pride.”
However, Moloi highlighted funding constraints as a major challenge, noting that limited financial resources have restricted local players’ exposure to international competition compared to their regional counterparts.
Without placing undue pressure on the team, he said his main expectation is for each player to improve on previous performances.
Team Lesotho is expected to depart on Monday. However, Moloi said financial uncertainty remains a concern, as the team is still awaiting responses from potential sponsors, with hopes that all logistical issues will be resolved before departure.
