When Barbara Kiwanuka took a shot at the game of golf about two years ago, she never gave it her all initially.
It all felt like a stop-start affair. She got a rude awakening at a tournament at Uganda Golf Club in July when she was honoured with the ‘Piga Mingi’, a prize given to encourage the worst player on the day.
And then on, the perceptions on the game all changed for Kiwanuka and as well, with support from a friend. ‘My first year (of golf) was really learning and this year, polishing up. I paid more attention and time to this game in the second half of this year,’ admitted Kiwanuka.
On Saturday, she was simply unstoppable. Playing off handicap 35, Kiwanuka returned the best score of 64 nett to floor a gigantic field of 209 players to win the Entebbe Grand Tee of Tees presented by her employers MTN.
‘I believe in consistency, it has been the key to my success. I have put in a lot of time. I have tried to be on course at least twice a week,’ said the lady who works in events and sponsorship at MTN.
‘This (tournament), I was looking forward to because of the time I have put into the game. I didn’t expect to win because I had a long night on Friday. But when I put my time into something, I commit fully,’ she said.
Kiwanuka admits she faced a bit of torture on the first nine holes and recovered on Holes par-3 No.2 and par-4 No.3 but par-4 Hole No.4, one of her favourites, blew her up.
‘I started thinking about my best holes. On (par-3) Hole No.10, I got a double-bogey, we had a bit of pressure to re-start,’ she recalled.
The par-5 Holes No.11 and No.15 had always been challenging but the former seemed to give her utmost confidence. ‘The drift of my driver on No.11 gave me life, I got a bogey there, I normally get double-bogey or even eight.
A big part of her review towards the game came to an understanding of her expenditures in the sport, from paying green fees, caddying charges, to a coach and more. ‘It is a huge investment,’ she added.
Perhaps, the biggest winner could have been Kiwanuka’s employer who laid the platform to have her introduced to the game.
ENTEBBE MTN GRAND TEE OF TEES
TOURNAMENT RESULTS
Overall Winner: Barbara Kiwanuka 64 nett
Guest Winner: Kejem Ntombi 55 nett
Seniors’ Winner (55+): Tonny Kisadha 71 nett
GROUP WINNERS – MEN
GROUP A
Winner: Allan Muhereza 68 nett
Runner-Up: Ronnie Kasirye 73 nett
GROUP B
Winner: Philemon Akatuhurira 67 nett
Runner-Up: Collins Nuwagira 68 nett (c/b)
GROUP C
Winner: Mathias Kalule 66 nett
Runner-Up: Lloyd Busuulwa 67 nett (c/b)
GROUP WINNERS – LADIES
GROUP A
Winner: Rita Apell 73 nett
Runner Up: Rukia Nalwoga 74 nett
GROUP B
Winner: Charity Tushabomwe 70 nett
Runner Up: Peace Hellen 72 nett
NEAREST TO THE PIN
L: Martha Babirye
M: Ivan Ssetimba
LONGEST DRIVE
L: Peace Hellen
M: Peter Magona