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Entebbe to unveil halfway house, field pushes for glory
Jovia Tugume is in control. PHOTOS/EDDIE CHICCO
What you need to know:
Entebbe Club has placed all the top eight players in the Order of Merit in two pressure groups across the ladies and men’s fronts, a real fitting finale. “I’ll simply play the course ignoring all the mental games expected in such an encounter,” added Kalule.
The country’s busiest golf clubs - Uganda Golf Club and Entebbe - wrap up their annual calendars with their grand monthly Mug events.
At Entebbe, a record field of over 200 players will grace the par-71 course for the Grand Tee of Tees presented by MTN.
In part, the field is large because of a yellow-lit 19th hole prize-giving ceremony whose venue has been set for the Entebbe cricket oval rather than the customary clubhouse gardens.
More importantly, MTN’s CEO Sylvia Mulinge in company of her executive committee members like Andrew Bugembe, Michael Ssekadde and Kenneth Kiddu - all Entebbe golfers, are set to officially open the Club’s new halfway clubhouse that is right below the tee-box of par-3 Hole No.10.
That will be in fulfillment of the promise made by Mulinge a year ago at a similar tournament. On the course, Entebbe’s members are in quest of the top placings in the 2024 Order of Merit.
Aspiring Entebbe Municipality MP Jovia Tugume leads the ladies’ charts with 575 nett from her best eight rounds of the Monthly Tees out of 11 played since January.
She is closely followed by Pamela Tumusiime and 2023 winner Bridget Basiima with the trio five strokes apart but Tugume desires the ultimate prize. “My plan is to keep my head down and play the best game of the day so that I can keep in the lead,” said the handicap 17 player.
And despite the pressure at the top, Tugume added: “I’m my own competition.” For the men, Saidi Kirarira seems to be coasting with a 12-shot lead at 558 nett from his best eight rounds of the year.
While Kirarira must show up and compete, the battle for second place is most critical as Raymond Ekwamu, Mathias Kalule, Richard Oloka and Lloyd Busuulwa in that order are all separated by six shots.
Handicap 23 player Kalule, currently in third has big ambitions. “My goal on Saturday is to upstage Kirarira and Ekwamu to emerge as number one,” he said.
Mathias Kalule will be relishing the finale.
He trusts his tee-shots and approach shots but Kalule has spent the week working on his short game. “I can assure you that I’ll play hole by hole for better results,” he said.
Entebbe Club has placed all the top eight players in the Order of Merit in two pressure groups across the ladies and men’s fronts, a real fitting finale. “I’ll simply play the course ignoring all the mental games expected in such an encounter,” added Kalule.
A total of 41 men and just eight ladies have accumulated eight rounds from the Monthly Tees of the year. Nice Janda, Peris Venessa, Sue Knight and Maxi Byenkya, and 13 men can hit that tally if they play Saturday.
ENTEBBE MTN GRAND TEE OF TEES
Date: Dec 14 (Today)
Venue: Entebbe Club
Format of play: Medal full handicap
Expected Field: 200 players
Theme: Sunshine at dusk
Dress Code: A touch of Yello
2023 Order of Merit Winner (M): Michael Monne
2023 Order of Merit Winner (L): Bridget Basiima
ENTEBBE MTN MONTHLY TEE
ORDER OF MERIT - LADIES (BEST 8 ROUNDS)
1 Jovia Tugume 575 nett
2 Pamela Tumusiime 577 nett
3 Bridget Basiima 580 nett
4 Diana Nabukenya 597 nett
5 Rita Apell Okot 600 nett
ORDER OF MERIT - MEN (BEST 8 ROUNDS)
1 Saidi Kirarira 558 nett
2 Raymond Ekwamu 570 nett
3 Mathias Kalule 571 nett
4 Richard Oloka 574 nett
5 Lloyd Busuulwa 576 nett
