Nsubuga, Birabwa top Entebbe Juniors Golf Open

National junior team player Godfrey Nsubuga carded two-over-par 73 gross to win the Entebbe Junior Golf Open tournament played at Entebbe Club on Friday.

Playing off scratch, Lugazi Mehta Golf Club’s Nsubuga edged defending champion Entebbe Club’s Elton Thembo by three strokes to claim his first junior championship on his fifth attempt.

Nsubuga, 17, a Form 6 student at Homeland College Lugazi scored six birdies and two bogeys en-route to victory, in the event that attracted 100 juniors from Entebbe, Lugazi, Jinja, Kampala, Lira, and Namulonge clubs.

“I’m happy to have won my first junior championship after being runners up four times. I have always been disadvantaged in previous junior tournaments which were determined on net scores yet I’m a scratch player,” Nsubuga said.

ULGU president Anne Abeja (left) presents prizes to Frista Birabwa. Photo by Michael Nsubuga

“Today we had a gross category and that helped. After my final A-level exams in April, I hope to play more tournaments and continue to improve my game,” Nsubuga stated.

Defending champion Entebbe Secondary School‘s Elton Thembo blamed his loss on unpreparedness.

“I was at school and I wasn’t prepared at all. I only knew about the tournament a day to the competition so I didn’t have enough time for practice,” Thembo said.

In the girls’ category Entebbe Parents School’s Frista Birabwa, 17, grabbed her third junior championship in a row after returning 89 gross.

“I always have the courage to continue competing; I train a lot and always consult my coaches,” Birabwa said of her dominance.

She said her target this season was to compete in as many tournaments so as to reduce her handicap from 22 to say around 15 by the end of the year.

Uganda Golf Union president Moses Matsiko, Uganda Ladies Golf Union president Anne Abeja and professional golfer Deo Akope presided over the one-day tournament and cautioned the youngsters on discipline and hard work.

Overall winners

Boys: Godfrey Nsubuga 73 gross

Girls: Frista Birabwa 89 gross

Boys

Elton Thembo 76gross

Rogers Eyoyo 77

18 holes-Nett winners

Mercy Ssebagala 61nett

Isabelle Akite 64

Winnie Mutonyi 70

Boys-Nett winners

Treasure Byamukama 62

Joseph Lubega 65c/b

Charles Kamyuka 65

9 holes-girls

Allison Wanda 42

Shadia Nanduga 44

1. Mutonyi 48

9 holes-boys

Ali 40

Kateregga 40

Peter Muhende 43

5 holes-boys

Isaac Oyirwoth 27gross

Michael Muzungu 28

5 holes-girls

Erika Musiime 32

Maris K. 38

3 holes-girls

Amara Tumusiime 17

Rajab Alisa 18

3 holes-boys

Nathan Lawoko 16

Brian Agaba 18c/b

Skills test-girls

Zetu Mukisa 8pts

Chloe Busingye 7

Skills test-boys

Brian Agasha 7pts

Jeremiah Baguma 6