End of year review: Golf

Having won the biggest prize on the Ugandan Golf Union calendar, Ronald Otile and Flavia Namakula are favourites to emerge the best male and female golfers of the year.

When you add the East African Challenge that Otile and Team Uganda members won for keeps in Ethiopia to complete a three-peat, makes him even a stronger candidate.

But Otile might have to contend with national team and classmate Richard Baguma, who was also part of the EAC winning team, but had already won three local events‑ the Ladies Presidents Shield, Onito Memorial and the Venus Open, before the two secured a three-year scholarship from the Royal and Ancient Club of Scotland.

The two budding golfers from Toro Club are attending college at the University of Pretoria where after their study will get international industry accreditation status on completion of their courses which is a big step in Uganda's golf this year.

Winning the Group-A accolades in the Entebbe Open, Independence day and in the Cross Country tournaments strengthens Namakula's status, before she ventures in the professional ranks next year.

On the international scene, Uganda was represented at the All Africa Junior Championship in Tunisia.

Fielding an entire new team at the annual championship, the Ugandans could not cope with the windy conditions at the El Kantoui Golf Course in Sousse, finishing with a gross score of 1022 over the four rounds, in March.

New faces on team

Apart from Herman Mutebi ‘Deco' who was on the team that represented the country in Zambia in 2015, the rest of the players that include Morris Asaba, Adrine Okong and Joel Basalaine were only making their debuts not only on the team but also at that stage.

But they performed better than Mutebi with Mehta Golf Club's Edwin Okwong returning the best gross score of 337 for team Uganda over the four-day action.

Asaba was Uganda's second best performer with (347 gross) while Mutebi (349) was the team's other scorer with Basalaine (354) finishing 29th in the championship that was won by South Africa.

A ladies team comprising of Eva Magala, Irene Nakalembe and Gloria Mbaguta also finished 7th out of 16 countries at the All Africa Golf Championships in Tunisia.

In April, the senior team competed in the Zone V Africa Golf Championships in Swaziland.

The team that comprised of Adolf Muhumuza, Ronald Rugumayo, Otile and Baguma and finishing third out of 13 countries, losing the title they had won the previous year to South Africa, who they lost to in the semis.

Their third place finish was the best ever for the team in the tournament, outside Uganda.

After, the team travelled to Nairobi where they participated in the inaugural Victoria Cup against Kenya who edged them 13.5-12.5 points.

Despite losing the championship, the outing provided a good test to a new set of players who were drafted to the senior side for the first time.

Players like Ismail Muhamood, Grace Kasango Becca Mwanja and Ashraf Bagalana gave a good account of themselves. The three juniors Joel Basalaine, Edrine Okong and Dennis Asaba performed well.

On the local scene, the Tusker Malt Lager Uganda Open attracted the usual interest from competitors from within and outside Uganda but it was Otile who prevailed again defending his title he won last year.

He beat runner-up Adolf Muhumuza to the championship by five strokes, to become the ninth golfer to win back to back open titles since the open started in 1932.

Kenya's and Zambia's Paul Muchangi and Zambia's Aaton Simfukwe finished third and fourth respectively.

It was a foreign affair in the professionals category of the event that saw South Africa's Joshua Seale win it by four strokes. Zambia's Madalisto Muthiya was second followed by Kenya's Kopan Timbe, Stefan Andersen, Simon Ngige and David Odhiambo, before Uganda's Saidi Mawa and Phillip Kasozi followed suit in 7th and 8th place.

 
Action all year round

Apart from the inter-region championships that is not going to be held this year, other competitions across the country registered success with Ashraf Bagalana, Catherine Buttner and Lilian Kikira, coming top in the Eskom tournament in Jinja.

At Entebbe Club, Edwin Tabaro, Martha Babirye and Aaron Mugomola smiled best in the JBG open where Fred Wanzala claimed the biggest share of sh15 in the pros category.

Youngster Herman Mutebi also bagged his first win at the club, beating Abraham Ainemani and Michael Tumusiime.

Charles Kabunga took the seniors prize with Sheilla Kesiime also winning in the Entebbe Open.

In the Chairman's Cup Kitengo Mutesasira and Vincent Byamukama came top while Tony Kisadha emerged the inaugural winner of the Entebbe Golf Club match play championship.

Entebbe's Abraham Ainamani claimed two wins in the Kinyara and Kakira opens.

In Lugazi, Titus Okwong won a sudden death play-off against Muhumuza to win the Mehta Open tournament before he flew to the US to pursue further studies.

At Toro Club, Rugumayo was the best in the Mayombo memorial where Baguma won the Venus Open.

At the Uganda Golf Club there were outstanding performances from the likes of Mbaguta, Jenina Nasimolo,  Becca Mwanja, Michael Tumusiime, Faiz Alam, Anne Ngabo from different tournaments while Onyango Matata won the inaugural seniors' open event.

The professionals golfers have also had their fare share of tournaments where Fred Wanzala with five victories has been outstanding.

Vincent Byamukama, Deo Akope, Denis Anguyo, Saidi Mawa and Brian Toolit also picked victories along the way in what has become and eventful year for the professionals.

In the season coming to a close, Gadi Musasizi also

undertook a grade 3 rules course in South Africa and is now a qualified rules official; the only one with this qualification in Uganda.