Event: 11th Entebbe Ladies Open
Time: Friday 5th – Saturday 6th March 2021
Venue: Entebbe Club
Irene Nakalembe will be aiming to win a seventh successive Entebbe Ladies Open title when various lady golfers tee-off at the event’s 11th staging on Friday 5th, till Saturday 6th March 2021 at Entebbe Club’s par-71 golf course.
Nakalembe’s only title for the past twelve months is last year’s Entebbe Ladies Open. This is due to Covid-19 disruptions that forced sport to grind to a halt for about six months, though she had a chance to claim a major title at the 2020 Uganda Open ladies event which was won by Martha Babirye in November.
With another title in sight in the shape of Entebbe Ladies Open, Nakalembe, handicap four, is revved up ahead of tee-off hoping to add more silverware to her trophy cabinet in an event she most identifies with in the domestic golf calendar.
“I obviously feel good to be participating at the tournament,” Nakalembe said adding that; “I have practiced as usual, nothing special added to my routine.”
With a cast of both foreign and domestic charges set to grace the event, Nakalembe is wary of the forthcoming competition but is still upbeat.
“Competition is both within and outside, so it’s stiff already,” Nakalembe admitted adding that playing on home course has always given her an upper hand against other players.
Nakalembe who has set eyes on other forthcoming tournaments including those outside Entebbe won the previous edition with 5-over par.
Entebbe Club Lady Captain Ritah Akot Apell says that as usual, the event is in line with the International Women’s Day celebration.
“This year as always, we’re celebrating Women’s Day. We always have this tournament the weekend before the International Women’s Day,” Akot told the media at event’s launch earlier this week.
However, SOPs in regard to Covid-19 will be adhered to with Akot further noting that the pandemic has impacted various aspects of this year’s do as compared to the past editions.
“The pandemic has really impacted on the numbers (of players) that we are to have this year especially those coming from the neighboring countries,” Akot added noting that SOPs will be adhered to from arrival to the 19th-hole experience.
The event’s 19th-hole experience will be held in a cocktail setting on Saturday. It will be a brief event (between 5 :30 p.m and 8 p.m) but with required spacing as per the SOPs and the timing is also aimed at enabling participants beat the 9 p.m nation-wide curfew.
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However, a subsidiary event that will include male players will be played on Saturday.
The event’s sponsors are; Britam Insurance, Roke Telkom, NCBA Bank, Gately on Nile and Uganda Airlines.
Entebbe Ladies Open Past Winners:
2011: Jasper Kamukama (Uganda)
2012: Flavia Namukula (Uganda)
2013: Iddi Madina (Tanzania)
2014: Monica Ntege (Uganda)
2015: Irene Nakalembe (Uganda)
2016: Irene Nakalembe (Uganda)
2017: Irene Nakalembe (Uganda)
2018: Irene Nakalembe (Uganda)
2019: Irene Nakalembe (Uganda)
2020: Irene Nakalembe (Uganda)
