Nakalembe, Okura edge into Singleton Round of 16

Comeback trail. Bridget Basiima continued to shine on her return from maternity by claiming the second runners-up prize in the women’s category. PHOTO BY EDDIE CHICCO

What you need to know:

  • And soon after youngster Herman ‘Deco’ Mutebi was crowned king of the night for the Subsidiary category following a an immaculate round of 72 nett while playing off zero songs like ABBA’s Dancing Queen, Eddy Grant’s 1988 jam Gimme Hope Jo’anna and Zangalewa’s Zamina Zamina got everyone breaking a leg all night long.
  • And when the Entebbe members recover from the heavy partying of the weekend, they will turn their energies to the February Monthly Mug as busy season continues at the lakeside course this Saturday.

ENTEBBE. There being more Entebbe Golf Club (EGC) members with lower handicaps forced organisers to use the 90 percent handicap difference in the Singleton Matchplay Challenge competition.
That only left Irene Nakalembe and Moureen Okura of higher handicaps with a mountain to climb against Joseph Salani and Graham Byagaba in the Pinnacle Security-co-sponsored event’s round of 32 contest played at the par-71 course in Entebbe on Saturday.
Ordinarily, players of higher handicaps give away points to match with those of lower handicaps in such a format. But Nakalembe, playing off handicap five and Okura dug deep to cover up the gap to beat their opponents 4-up with three holes to go.
“It has not been easy for us to reach here,” said Nakalembe, whose combo and Okura remain the only 16 pairs that will compete in Round Three on March 11 at the same course for the overall prize of an all-expenses paid trip to watch The Open at the Royal Birkdale in Southport, England in July.

“We have had to play a couple of pairs with very high handicaps. It has not been easy giving 12 to 19 strokes to someone. But although our next opponents are much tougher, at least there isn’t a big gulf in the handicap range. The playing ground will be even.”
But the reward for Nakalembe and Okura, the only ladies pairing remaining in the fray, is a date against sponsor Moses Matsiko and Round 1 best player Allan Muhereza, who were lethal in clinically dispatching former rugby referee Paul ‘Foxy’ Ojambo and Tony Katamba 5-up with four holes to spare.
And the ever jolly Matsiko wasn’t hesitant to send out a message to Nakalembe and Okura when invited to the new-look 19th hole podium to award some prizes.

“To our next opponents, watch out,” said Matsiko, while pointing in the direction to the table where his next challengers were seated, on an evening whose theme was ‘Back to the 70s’ in dress code and music.
“We didn’t allow our opponents today to see No.15 and we want to maintain the momentum till the end of the championship in May.”
And soon after youngster Herman ‘Deco’ Mutebi was crowned king of the night for the Subsidiary category following a an immaculate round of 72 nett while playing off zero songs like ABBA’s Dancing Queen, Eddy Grant’s 1988 jam Gimme Hope Jo’anna and Zangalewa’s Zamina Zamina got everyone breaking a leg all night long.
And when the Entebbe members recover from the heavy partying of the weekend, they will turn their energies to the February Monthly Mug as busy season continues at the lakeside course this Saturday.