Kenya Golf Day wins motivate Kalema, Kabonero for dreams

It’s all smiles. Kabonero (left) and Kalema stood uabove the rest in their respective categories in the Kenya Gold Day. PHOTO/COURTESY

What you need to know:

  • Kasozi Fire. Phillip Kasozi put the late Uganda Open wobble in Entebbe behind him to return to his home club and beat the field of 34 players with an aggregate seven-under 287 over 36 holes to win the biggest share of the Shs15m pros’ kitty.

Salleh Kalema began playing golf in March this year and he furnished his handicap to 25. But it grew again to 28 before the five-in-one Uganda Golf Open in Entebbe.
Now, the businessman hopes the handicap will size down much faster after emerging as the overall winner at the Kenya Golf Day event held at the Uganda Golf Club in Kitante last week.

“Before the Open, my handicap dropped because I wasn’t practicing,” remarked Kalema after picking his trophy from Karamoja Affairs minister John Byabagambi during the prize giving ceremony set-up by Uganda Breweries under brand Tusker Malt Lager and Pepsi on Friday night.

“By winning, I am moving up and working on it,” said the proprietor of clearing firm Bookrad Logistics. In his first major victory, Kalema had no birdie but managed four pars on Holes par-5 No.8, par-5 No.14, par-4 No.15 and the short par3 No.17.
“The win vindicates my decision to play golf and I am not about to stop. My driver was working. My famous 3-wood was working pretty well. I want to see my handicap go low to 15 by March,” he added. 

‘It means a lot’
Like Kalema, ladies’ overall winner UGC lady captain Grace Kabonero, too, won an air ticket for two to Nairobi and Mombasa by Kenya Airways accompanied with three nights’ accommodation by Serena Hotels across both cities.
Playing off handicap 17, Kabonero returned 38 points for her biggest win since dropping below handicap 20. 
The lady, who first played golf 15 years ago, was aided by six pars.

“It means a lot,” she said of her win. “It encourages other ladies to play and it’s not only about winning, it helps one to be strong enough.”
Meanwhile, Phillip Kasozi put the late Tusker Malt Uganda Open wobble behind him to return to his home club and beat the field of 34 players with an aggregate seven-under 287 over 36 holes to win the biggest share of the Shs15m professional players’ kitty.

Kenya Golf Day
OVERALL WINNERS
Men    Salleh Kalema 43 points (c/b)
Ladies    Grace Kabonero 38 pts
Profs    Phillip Kasozi 237
GROUP WINNERS
MEN

A: Ernest Rukundo 38 pts (c/b)
B: Juma Mebs 40 pts
C: Anthony Ndegwa 43 pts
LADIES
A: Lin Li Xia 35 pts
B: Juma Shamim 37 pts