Kenyans Versus Otile

KAMPALA. A week ago, a sizable number of Tanzanians raided the Entebbe course and stunned the hosts to take home to the 68th Castle Lite Uganda Ladies Open title.
It is Arusha Gymkhana Club’s Neema Olomi who recovered with a rare yet memorable albatross to win the 54-hole competition as the crown slipped out of Ugandans Martha Babirye and Irene Nakalembe’s hands.
Fast forward, the Kenyans want to do the same as the 77th edition of the Uganda Amateur Open that climaxes at the par-71 course today.
The fraternity must recall that the last non-Ugandan to win the Amateur Open was a Kenyan - Nicholas Rokoine - a decade ago.
And the mission is to end the wait.

“We are here to try win,” Kenya’s contingent member Sylvester Luhombo said as the Open began.
Basing on the opening two rounds, Kenyans Edwin Mudanyi and John Karichu led in turn with respective six and five-birdie rounds of 66 and 68 which implies their intentions are more loud and clear at East Africa’s oldest course.
To save Uganda’s blushes, it is two-time champion Ronald Otile who has been in their shadow, seated in second place.
Otile in the most consistent player at the Open over the last three editions having won it back-to-back in 2016 before losing the three-hole sudden-death play-off to Ronald Rugumayo in Kitante last year.
Otile and Karichu were with another Ugandan Herman Mutebi in the pressure group yesterday and all eyes are on the coveted ‘Major’ that will be given out on the green of the par-5 Hole No.18 at dusk.

“Winning the Open would better my golf CV,” said the South African-based Otile who still harbours dream of becoming the first Ugandan to feature of PGA Tour.
Otile’s pursuit of a legacy is well illustrated in his opening round of 67 where he managed eight birdies and no player had returned as many by tee-off yesterday morning.
His plot is however on the line as the Kenyans won’t back down. “The goal is to win the Open,” Karichu stated when he went top after Day Two.Obviously, Otile would be more comfortable staying and having home boy Mutebi stay in the pressure group today rather than fight the Karichu-Mudanyi Swahili connection or any other Kenyan like Mutahi Kibugu or Samuel Njoroge who finished fourth last year.But even if the Kenyans are known to be long hitters, it is Mehta Golf Club’s Canary Kabise who won the Longest Drive contest on Thursday.