Ndugutse, Mpanga reign on Dutch Day
Dutch Courage. Overall men’s winner Ndugutse (L) and lady of the night Mpanga (2nd R) were elated soon after receiving their trophies from Netherlands Ambassador from Uganda Henk Jan Baker (C). PHOTO BY ISMAIL KEZAALA
What you need to know:
- Golf. National captain Becca Mwanja warmed up for the upcoming Victoria Cup by sweeping the men’s Group A category albeit on countback
KAMPALA. It was a weekend of reckoning for Uganda Golf Club (UGC) members Hillary Ndugutse and Candy Mpanga after the affable pair emerged overall winners at the annual Netherlands Business Golf Day Cup at the par-72 Kitante course on June 24.
Ndugutse, who played off handicap 17, returned a dazzling round of 41 points for his first-ever podium finish on a day that attracted 170 golfers and was sponsored by KLM, Vivo Energy, dfcu bank, Shares Uganda and Unilever.
“The most important thing in my round was my consistency. I had a score of five on 11 of the 18 rounds. That was quite something,” Ndugutse told Daily Monitor soon after receiving his trophy and a business class return ticket to Amsterdam courtesy of Dutch airline KLM from Netherlands Ambassador to Uganda Henk Jan Baker.
“This win is important to me because it is the first time I am scoring 40 plus points and today is also my dad (Allan Rutabindwa)’s 65 birthday and I called him here to celebrate with me. I would also like to give credit to my caddie (Barnabas Salongo) for his role in helping me get a point at No.17. It was the difference at the end of the day.” The 39-year-old edged Group B winner David Nambaale (40 points) by one point whose consolation was winning fuel worth Shs500,000.
Double act
For Mpanga, her double act started on Friday (June 23) when she emerged victorious at the Ladies Nite.
She capped it up with another decisive round when she tallied 39 points to emerge as the best lady of the night by one stroke.
“Today I was fully focused,” Mpanga said about what had helped her edge Group B winner Judith Komugisha (38 points). “I played with people (Harriet Kitaka, Rose Azuba and Rosette Tugume) that I have never played with. I didn’t have anyone to converse with so I ended up only having to concentrate on my game.”
OVERALL WINNERS
M: Hillary Ndugutse 41 points
W: Candy Mpanga 39
Group winners (men)
A: Becca Mwanja 37 c/b points
B: David Nambaale 40
C: Garvin Onaba 37
D: Johan Kisekulo 39
Women
A: Judith Komugisha 38 points
B: Edrae Kagombe 36
C: Soon Hong 32
