Prime
Madina gets vital second win over Kabasweka
Iddy Madina reacts after she failed to hit the ball out of the bunker in her attempt on hole number nine. PHOTOS/EDDIE CHICCO
What you need to know:
Madina beat Kabasweka in Lusaka by 21 shots. At Kitante, Kabasweka still came second to Madina, this time losing by five strokes.
Iddy Madina is a popular name in circles of amateur women’s golf across south, east and central Africa.
The Tanzanian knows how to get her name onto the top of leaderboards at different courses in the region.
It may have taken her a while to do that in Uganda but on Saturday, Madina reminded everyone of her class and quality after she beat the field to win the sixth Uganda Golf Club (UGC) Ladies Golf Open at Kitante.
Making a return to the par-72 course for the first time since finishing second at the 73rd Uganda Ladies Open last October, Madina held onto her early lead to win the 54-hole stroke-play competition with an aggregate score of 230 gross.
“This time, it worked well. Last year, I lost by one. This time, God has granted it to me,” Madina said moments before receiving her trophy during the 19th hole prize-giving ceremony on Saturday.
Peace Kabasweka lines up a putt on hole number seven.
The Arusha-based player is onto something though. After losing the Uganda Ladies Open by a stroke to Peace Kabasweka last October, Madina returned to the drawing board.
She has participated in two major competitions this year and won them. The first was the Zambia Ladies Open which she garnered at Lusaka Golf Club in early July.
Madina beat Kabasweka in Lusaka by 21 shots. At Kitante, Kabasweka still came second to Madina, this time losing by five strokes.
By the end of the descending par-4 Hole No.14 on Saturday afternoon, Kabasweka was chasing two strokes following birdies on Holes par-4 No.3, par-3 No.11 and par-5 No.13.
But when Kabasweka double-bogeyed on the greens of par-4 Holes No.15 and No.16, to add to her bogeys on Holes par-5 No.1, par-5 No.5 and par-3 No.9, Madina was home and dry.
Iddy Madina kisses her UGC Ladies Golf Open trophy.
Madina herself had birdies on Holes No.3 and par-5 No.8 but she had fought to hold off damage from bogeys on Holes par-4 No.2, No.7, No.9, par-4 No.10, No.11 and par-3 No.17.
“It was tough. The conditions changed, there was a lot of wind on Day One and the greens were hard,” 2022 winner Kabasweka conceded.
“I wasn’t doing so well on the short game. I lost a lot of strokes,” she added.
Kabasweka is hoping to defend her Uganda Open crown in Entebbe and a new chapter of her rivalry with Madina will be auditioned again in a few days. The gallery will be watching.
2024 UGC LADIES OPEN
FINAL LEADERBOARD
1 Iddy Madina (TAZ) 78 76 76 230
2 Peace Kabasweka (UGA) 80 78 77 235
T3 Meron Kyomugisha (UGA) 82 79 76 237
T3 Gloria Mbaguta (UGA) 85 74 78 237
TOURNAMENT RESULTS
Ladies Nett Winner: Lillian Koowe 211 nett
Ladies Winner (Group): Jill Birungi Pinda 73 nett
Seniors Winner (L): Katy Kabenge 146 gross
Gross Amateurs Winner (M): Joseph Cwinyaai 219
Seniors Winner (M): Steven Katwiremu 72 nett
Hole in one: Alexander Kasendwa
GROUP WINNERS (MEN)
GROUP A: Yunus Bbaale 70 nett
GROUP B: Tushar Mashru 69 nett
GROUP C: Herbert Kamuntu 71 nett
NEAREST TO PIN
M: Ernest Rukundo
L: Martha Babirye
LONGEST DRIVE
M: Isaiah Tugumenawe
L: Peace Kabasweka
UGC LADIES OPEN
CAST OF WINNERS
2018: Irene Nakalembe (Won by 7 strokes)
2019: Martha Babirye (Won by 1 stroke)
2020: Not held (Covid-19 Pandemic)
2021: Martha Babirye (Won via sudden-death play-off)
2022: Peace Kabasweka (Won by 1 stroke)
2023: Evah Magala (Won by 3 strokes)
2024: Iddy Madina (Won by 5 strokes)
