All eyes on Kabasweka as 15th edition of the Entebbe Ladies Open starts

Tooro Club’s Peace Kabasweka will be the lady to beat when the 15th edition of the MTN Entebbe Ladies Open tees off at Entebbe Club on Thursday.

The national ladies' team captain enjoyed strong performances last year, dominating in almost all local events en route to defending the 50th Nigeria Ikoyi Ladies Open in Nigeria last November.

Despite missing the Uganda Ladies Open Championship while in the US, which Kenyan Mercy Nyachama won, Kabasweka remains the best-ranked female player in the World Amateur Golf Rankings at 341st, having won seven events last year, and in the field of 32 who are competing for this year’s championship. 

She will be gunning for her third title and the sh2.4m top prize against the likes of Nyanchama and four Tanzanians that include Neema Olomi, Loveness Frank, Rachael Mushi, Vicky Elias, and Jazilla Daniel. The other local players in contention in the sh10m prize money-54-hole event include Kabalaza Open champion Martha Babirye, who will be looking to add to her recent win on the same course; 2024 runners-up Meron Kyomugisha and regular contestants Joyce Kisembo and Judith Komugisha. Lillian Koowe, Gloria Mbaguta, and youngsters Winnie Musuya and Harsshitha Loganathan.

Kabasweka first won the event in 2022 before she claimed her second in 2024 after her opening round of three-over 73. Then she messed up in the second round with a 12-over 83 but remained with a two-stroke lead as her nearest opponent, Kyomugisha, also bundled up her second round with an 82. 

Kabasweka then steadied the ship in the last round, where she only picked one bogey on the first nine, where Kyomugisha picked five. But the latter notched three consecutive birdies on holes 10, 11, and 12 to remain within chasing distance, but the champion could not be denied despite picking up more bogeys on holes 10 and 18 in between a birdie on the par-3 16, in what turned out to be a two-horse race.