Golfer Bernadette Musanabera urges women to join the sport after winning car

Lady golfer Bernadette Musanabera has encouraged fellow women to join the sport and reap its benefits.

The Uganda Golf Club member had just officially received a sleek Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid, which she won after her stunning hole-in-one at the Entebbe Stanbic Matchplay Golf Qualifiers last month.

Reflecting on her achievement during the handover, Musanabera said, “I can’t imagine that I’m now part of history.

This shows that golf is not just a sport but also rewarding. I encourage more golfers, especially ladies, to actively participate because there are real opportunities.”

L-R: Entebbe Club captain Serwano Walusimbi, Head of Business Development at AfriSafe Insurance Brokers Arnold Baguma (left) and CFAO Mobility Marketing Manager Isaac Tegule (2nd right) pose with Berna Musanabera as she receives her car keys. Courtesy photo

Afrisafe Insurance Brokers & Risk Consultants and CFAO Mobility officially handed over the sh162m prize car at CFAO Mobility’s Toyota Showroom in Kampala on Wednesday, which brought together partners, golf stakeholders, and Musanabera’s family and friends to celebrate a landmark moment in Uganda’s sporting history. 

Only four years into the sport, she is now set to trade in her trusty Spacio for the cross-hybrid machine after she pulled off the remarkable achievement on Entebbe’s par-3 hole 12 while playing in the company of Dickson Agaba, Kim Nam Yung, and Kenneth Kiddu. With a Titleist-1 black ball and a Ping 9-iron, he delivered the tournament’s first hole-in-one since the match-play event began seven years ago.

With this achievement, she became the first female golfer in the history of the Stanbic Match Play series and the first in the country to win a hole-in-one car prize. The hole-in-one prize, which had been sponsored for over a decade, was part of a deliberate effort by partners to elevate the tournament experience and create meaningful rewards for excellence in the sport.

Speaking at the official handover, CFAO Mobility Marketing Manager Isaac Tegule emphasised the significance of the moment, stating, “Today is not just about handing over a car; it is about celebrating excellence, precision, and the power of opportunity. 

Bernadette’s achievement is clear evidence of what is possible when talent meets the right platform, and we are proud to have played a part in making this historic moment a reality.” Afrisafe Insurance Brokers & Risk Consultants Chairman Kwame Ejalu, emphasised the company’s longstanding role in supporting the tournament and enabling golfers to pursue excellence. 

“Afrisafe has proudly sponsored the hole-in-one prize at Entebbe Club for over ten years because we believe in creating meaningful incentives for golfers. Seeing this prize finally won, and by a lady golfer, marks a special milestone not just for Musanabera but for the sport in Uganda,” he noted. 

Stanbic Bank Head of Affluent Banking Arthur Kiwanuka noted that Musanabera’s achievement reflects the impact of their collective efforts to elevate golf in Uganda. “As the main sponsor of the Stanbic Match Play Series, together with our strategic partner who enriches the tournament experience, we are proud to see such moments of excellence. 

The Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid awarded to Musanabera combines performance and efficiency and comes with a two-year service plan and a three-year warranty from CFAO Mobility, reinforcing its value as a modern, sustainable mobility solution.