Golf: Shocks at Singleton
Night of smiles: Moses Sebugwawo (right) receives his prize from UBL’s Shane Healy after finishing third in Group B with 37 points (c/b) off handicap 13. His pairing with Geoffrey Byamugisha eliminated champions John Muchiri and Isaac Mariera. PHOTO by Eddie Chicco
KAMPALA.
The first round of the second edition of the Singleton Match Play Challenge left many with mixed feelings at the Entebbe Golf Club on Saturday.
Golfers needed to first bear with the beaming heat at the par-71 course before toasting away in style during the prize giving ceremony themed as Texas cowboy night.
They lit up the 19th hole in cowboy boots and hats of felt, Stetson, straw and ten-gallon types but none from the big 189-man field had been spared by the lately sapping temperatures above 28 degrees during day. Some toasted on both fronts but there are familiar clubhouse pairings that were stunned on course.
Defending champions John Muchiri and Isaac Mariera were bundled out in the ‘Race to Dubai’ by Geoffrey Byamugisha and Moses Sebugwawo, losing 1-up on the par-4 No.18 green.
Sebugwawo, also the club treasurer had amassed 37 points off handicap 13 on the day to scoop third place in the Group B subsidiary rankings.
Mariera, though, despite defeat, won the Group A category with 36 points on count back (c/b) after playing off handicap 19.
Mariera and Muchiri won the Singleton Challenge, winning a trip to the Royal Birkdale to watch the Open last July.
Kiryowa, Mukasa exit
But it will be a new pairing that RwandAir will fly to the World Golf Tour Championships at the luxurious Jumeriah Golf Estates in Dubai, UAE from November 15-18.
Last year’s championship darlings Kiryowa ‘K.K’ Kiwanuka and Elly ‘Sober’ Mukasa were too shut out by Raymond Mwesigwa and Yunus Bbaale 1-up on the final hole in the last match of the day.
Bbaale shot a birdie on the par-4 hole to decide the contest and much to their delight having crawled from 3-down after the 10th hole.
“We were 2-down after the first nine, then lost No.10. We started the fight back and squared the match on the 17th hole before winning,” an elated Bbaale said.
In the all-ladies’ friendly fire, Irene Nakalembe and Eva Magala got it easy against Gloria Mbaguta and Capt. Evalin Asiimwe, winning 7/5 (seven-up with five holes to spare).
SELECTED results - round of 64
G. Byamugisha & M. Sebugwawo bt. J. Muchiri & I. Mariera 1-up, R. Mwesigwa & Y. Bbaale bt. K.
Kiwanuka & E. Mukasa 1-up, I. Nakalembe & E. Magala bt. G. Mbaguta & E. Asiimwe 7/5, P. Kaheru &
J. Bagabo bt. J. Katto & R. Rugumayo 5/3, Micheal Alunga & Nathan Mubiru bt. Jadu Patel & Anthony
Agaba, J. Ligyalingi & P. Mungoma bt. M. Kagoro & M. Masiko 2/1
