Pairings go for strong starts at Entebbe Challenge

KAMPALA. Only the brave survived the rain challenge during the round of 64 stage of Season VIII of the Stanbic Entebbe Golf Club (EGC) Match-play Challenge on April 6.

Only seven of the 32 matches were completed with the rest postponed for a restart or continuation at later dates. Title holders Saidi Kirarira and Richard Mucunguzi’s match-up against Andrew Muhwezi and Drake Tukamuhabwe had stopped at par-3 Hole No.8.

Kirarira and handicap 18 player Mucunguzi led 4-up and when they resumed their match some days later, it ended up in a 4/3 (4-up with three holes to spare) victory on the 16th green. “It was a completion of what we had started earlier on,” Kirarira reminisced earlier this week.

The pairing now wants to continue their title defence but they face a very experienced combo of Tony Kisadha and Richard Mwami during the last 32 stage at the par-71 course on Saturday.

A key to finding their way to victory again could be a strong start, like last month. “We are also ready for them. We’ve been doing some practice. We just want to try to show up. It is all about supporting each other,” handicap 14 player Kirarira stated. 

Going up early is a target for many pairings. Elly ‘Sober’ Mukasa and Kiryowa ‘K.K’ Kiwanuka, who won their previous round 5/4 against Arthur Kiwanuka and Moses Adrume, too want to get out of the blocks pretty fast when they meet Emmanuel Lwanga and Vincent Asiimwe.

“We have a tricky fixture against a very solid pairing,” Mukasa acknowledged the weight of their task. “We inevitably must win many of the first nine holes to boost our chances,” he added.

 The pairings of Mark Namanya and Hillary Ndugutse as well as John Basabose and Kin Karisa -were the biggest winners of the previous - each eliminating their opponents with a score of 7/6 at the short par-3 No.12 green.

 This time Namanya and Ndugutse are taking a cautious approach when they face Timothy Mwandha and Ssubi Kiwanuka. “We don't play Entebbe quite often. Key for us will be to seize the early initiative,” said Namanya, Daily Monitor’s former sports editor.

“You don’t want to give yourself some kind of work to do. If we lay down the marker after the first three or four holes, then we think we will have a chance to advance,” he added.

Basabose and Karisa are up against Herbert Kamuntu and Stephen Ojambo. The all-female pairing of Peace Kabasweka and Harriet Kitaka wants to play to the basics when they face Dean Kateeba and lately high-flying Raymond Ekwamu

“We need to focus more on the course than our opponents for us to score well,” noted Kabasweka, the reigning Uganda Ladies Open champion.

Another interesting fixture pits Charles Kabunga and Bridget Basiima against Lillian Koowe and Joyce Kisembo.

STANBIC SEASON VIII ITINERARY

Mar 16: Qualifying round

Apr 6: Round One (64 Pairings)

May 11: Round Two (32 Pairings) 

Jun 15: Round Three (16 Pairings)

Jul 6: Quarterfinals (8 Pairings)

Sept 14: Semi-finals

Oct 12: Final

 SEASON VII EGC MATCH PLAY CHALLENGE

FINAL: Richard Mucunguzi & Saidi Kirarira bt. Joseph Bogera & Kenneth Kiddu 3/2

3RD PLACE PLAY-OFF: Serwano Walusimbi & Peter Magona bt. Micheal Odur & Brian Manyindo 1-up (2nd s/d)

SEASON VIII - STANBIC EGC MATCH PLAY CHAMPIONSHIP

ROUND OF 32 STAGE - SELECTED MATCHES

Richard Mucunguzi & Saidi Kirarira vs. Tony Kisadha & Richard Mwami

Mark Namanya & Hillary Ndugutse vs. Timothy Mwandha & Ssubi Kiwanuka

Elly Mukasa & Kiryowa Kiwanuka vs. Emmanuel Lwanga & Vincent Asiimwe

Sam Kacungira & Vincent Katutsi vs. Collins Aritua & George Afi

Kin Kariisa & John Basabose vs. Herbert Kamuntu & Stephen Ojambo

Peace Kabasweka & Harriet Kitaka vs. Dean Kateeba & Raymond Ekwamu

Casper Okiru & Ronald Osekeny vs. Tony Ojok & Picole Lukyamuzi

Anthony Agaba & Yunus Bbale vs. Daniel Muwooya & James Okema

Diana Nabukenya & Maureen Okura vs. Sean Kinsella & Dejan Stepanovic

Charles Kabunga & Bridget Basiima vs. Lillian Koowe & Joyce Kisembo

Joseph Bagabo & Apollo Segawa vs. Ellis Katwebaze & Evelyn Atukunda

Andrew Baguma & Peter Apell vs. Walter Tukahirwa & Lambert Twesigye