be.MOMBASA, Aug. 4 (Xinhua) -- Eight countries will take part in the inaugural Africa Region Four Golf Challenge Cup, which will be hosted in Mombasa on Saturday and Sunday.

Kenya, which is keen to market itself as bets sports tourism destination, will be hosting the tournament which brings together over 200 golfers in the coastal city of Mombasa.

The eight countries taking part in the Golf Challenge include host Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, Ethiopia, Seychelles and DR Congo.

Kenya's coach Ali Kimani said his team was strong and will host firm against the challenge of her neighbors eyeing back-to-back victory.

"The players are more than ready after the practice round. They have played here before and they know the course very well. We are going for nothing short of a victory," said Kimani on Saturday.

The veteran coach has had successful spells with the Kenyan team and was in charge when the country emerged victorious at the Africa Zone Six Championship in Botswana.

Each team apart from DR Congo, which sent two, will be represented by a team of four players.

Meanwhile, Kenya Golf Union is hopeful its premier competition - the Kenya Open Golf Championship may soon be promoted from its current status as part of the European Tour's Challenge to a full European Tour event.

The Kenya Open is the only survivor of the Safari circuit of the 70s and 80s. The others died along the way including the Uganda, Zambia and Tanzania legs.

South Africa created the Sunshine Tour, which now has one played in Nairobi at the Karen Golf Club and also hosts two events on the European Tour. The Morocco Golf Open is also on the European Tour.