Mwanja, Angudeyo’s day at CBA Captain’s Prize

Winning combo. Overall winners Mwanja (2nd L) and Angu’Deyo (2nd R) share a moment in the spotlight after receiving their gongs from CBA’s Anthony Ndegwa (L) and Uganda Golf Club captain Bagabo at Kitante on Saturday. PHOTO BY EDDIE CHICCO

What you need to know:

  • True, Mwanja returned five birdies on Holes par-5 No.1, par-3 No.6, par-5 No.8, par-4 No,12 and par-4 No.15 but the crowning element was an eagle on par-5 No.13. Two bogeys on par-3 No.17 and par-4 No.18 barely the cost Mwanja still finished with 10 pars.

CBA CAPTAIN’S PRIZE

OVERALL WINNERS
M: Becca Mwanja 42 points
L: Wendy Angudeyo 37 pts
GUEST WINNERS
M: Joseph Kasozi 37 pts
W: Loyce Bako 31 pts
PROS WINNERS
1 Phillip Kasozi 71 76 71 218
2 Abbey Bagalana 75 75 73 223
T3 Deo Akope 74 76 74 224
T3 Herman Mutawe 73 77 74 224
group winners (MEN)
A: Hassan Kiyemba 36 pts
B: Phillip Walera 31 pts (c/b)
C: Beliah Bashabe 32 pts
LADIES
A: Eva Magala 33 pts (c/b)
B: Peace Mugeye 35 pts (c/b)
CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP WINNER
Michael Tumusiime
KITANTE CUP WINNER
Thomas Kreyssig

KAMPALA. Joseph Bagabo was not shy to tell the audience that he is still Uganda Golf Club (UGC) captain during the prize giving ceremony at the Commercial Bank of Africa (CBA) Captain’s Prize tournament at the Kitante on Saturday.

“Everyone was asking me are you handing over? No, we’ll be handing over to ourselves,” said Bagabo in his colourful speech at the 19th hole on a rather cold evening.

Bagabo was firm at the podium even managing a couple jokes that left the members in stitches and he had earned his moment after all his team had registered commendable financial gains UGC over the last year.

But on the course, the pair of Becca Mwanja and Wendy Angu’Deyo were the biggest victors whereas Phillip Kasozi claimed the biggest chunk of the Shs10m professionals kitty at the three-day showpiece.

To begin with, the latter Kasozi endured sleepless nights before beating 24 others by five strokes with rounds of 71, 76 and 71 at the par-72 course.

“After Day Two on Friday, I had fallen to second because of my putting. So I spent the night putting about 500 balls in my house before I could win today,” Kasozi narrated his road to victory. But national team captain Mwanja was unstoppable in the amateurs after the handicap one player returned 42 points.

“It was fine round,” Mwanja told Daily Monitor moments after collecting his prize from CBA’s Anthony Ndegwa and Bagabo. “Interestingly, I was calm on the course and my putting and driving was the difference.”

Five birdies
True, Mwanja returned five birdies on Holes par-5 No.1, par-3 No.6, par-5 No.8, par-4 No,12 and par-4 No.15 but the crowning element was an eagle on par-5 No.13. Two bogeys on par-3 No.17 and par-4 No.18 barely the cost Mwanja still finished with 10 pars.

But Angudeyo ought to celebrate most as she picked her first overall victory in a two-year career that now has 13 triumphs.

“It was a tough game but I enjoyed it,” the handicap 19 player said after returning 37 points with two birdies and three bogeys.

“The rain interrupted us a lot but I never gave up. I did my best. Any bad shot, I knew the next shot would be the best,” she added.