Lutwama, Busingye win 3rd edition of Singleton Golf Challenge

Richard Lutwama and Robert Busingye will enjoy a fully paid golfing trip to watch the Omega Dubai Desert Classic in Dubai in January next year after winning the third edition of Singleton Golf Challenge at Entebbe Club on Saturday.

Lutwama/Busingye beat Andrew Atuhaire/Geoffrey Orach on the first sudden-death playoff hole after they were all-square after the 18, in the highly contested final.

From the first hole to the last, it was neck to neck with the two pairs complimenting each other very well until the first hole where Lutwama's par sealed it, with their opponents both bogeying the hole.

"Winning the championship is really a relief because you don't get to win such tournaments often, because it is very involving and yet we are busy people, but we were committed to it," Lutwama said.

"The pressure for me today was unbelievable. Busingye carried me for the first seven holes and I kicked in their after but our opponents are wonderful golfers and I loved their persistence, they never gave up and they were answering our pars with pars, birdies with birdies and we just waited for them to make a mistake and we took advantage of that.

"But I think they underestimated us but later realized we were no pushovers. It has been a lovely step by step journey that we have enjoyed," Lutwama stated.

The runners up Atuhaire/Orach won themselves return tickets to Mombasa and accommodation for two each courtesy of co-sponsors RwandAir and Serena Beach Resort.

The second and third runners up, Charles Odere/Samuel Kato and Kiwanuka Ssubi and Timothy Mwanda also won themselves return tickets to Cape Town and London respectively.

The top players in the subsidiary event over the last three months; Mackie Nasser who collected 106pts, Patrick Mugisha (100pts) as well as Irene Nakalembe (104pts) and Peace Kabasweka (102pts) also grabbed air tickets to Kigali and Nairobi.

Professional golfer Abraham Ainemani will pocket the biggest cheque from the sh15m purse after he beat Herman Mutaawe; 9&7 in the final while Ronald Rugumayo beat Herman Mutebi, 1up in the third-place play-off.

Outgoing UBL managing director Mark Ocitti and the incoming Alvin Mbugua presided over the prize ceremony alongside other co-sponsors representatives from Commercial Bank of Africa, RwandAir, DStv, Pinnacle Security, Victoria Motors, HTC Hub, Afrisafe Risk Partners, Ekspreso and Street Club.

Afrigo Band was the main entertainer on the famous 19^th hole where everyone 'won' with the Singleton at the ‘black tie' event.

A brand new sh235m Pajero Sport car for a hole-in-one remained unclaimed as no one managed the feat over the seven months of the competition.