Olomi’s albatross lights up the Open
Olomi has marked the best improvement on the leaderboard. PHOTO BY EDDIE CHICCO
KAMPALA-The honest bit about the 68th Castle Lite Uganda Ladies Open that climaxed yesterday is that it didn’t attract a big gallery at the par-71 course in Entebbe.
Over the past three days, the bigger chunk of the fraternity took the choice rather than priority side of the coin regards watching the 40-man chase the top prize.
But the event should have punished those who took it lightly. Why?
The Uganda Ladies Open witnessed its first-ever albatross shot by Tanzanian Neema Olomi on Day Two on Friday.
Playing at the lakeside course for the second time in her career after the Entebbe Ladies Open in 2013, Olomi took two shots with her 3-wood to produce the rare three-under par over 456 yards on the par-5 Hole No.15.
“I feel so happy about it,” the Arusha Gymkhana Golf Club player told Sunday Monitor.
“I just hit the ball and saw it going. I had never hit one (albatross) in my career,” said Olomi while mixing Swahili with English.
And no better way to reward her unique effort. It turned out that her albatross catapulted her to the best Day Two score of three-over 74.
It could even have been a more colourful round had it not been for bogeys on Holes par-3 No.2 and par-4 No.3 as well as double-bogeys on Holes par-5 No.7 and par-4 No.17.
However, Olomi has marked the best improvement on the leaderboard after coming from joint-10th to fourth. “I wish I could come back to play in Uganda but I am often curtailed by sponsorship. However, this albatross will keep this trip memorable,” added Olomi.
The Open resumes this week with the men’s Amateur tournament that tees-off on Wednesday in Entebbe.
