Late slip costs Babirye the Johnnie Walker Uganda Ladies Open title

Martha Babirye’s dreams of winning the 2024 Johnnie Walker Uganda Ladies Open crumbled in a dramatic and heartbreaking final round on Saturday at Entebbe Club.

In the end, it was Tanzania’s Iddy Madina who emerged as the champion, just a week after winning the Uganda Golf Club Ladies Open in Kampala. This victory marked her first title after years of near misses.

Starting the day with a one-stroke lead, the Ugandan star with three titles to her name seemed destined for victory, but a series of unfortunate events on the final four holes turned her title hopes into a nightmare.

It all began on the 15th hole, where Babirye, who had been in control for most of the day, faced a sudden and unexpected downfall. Her second shot from 180 yards went out-of-bounds, leading to a triple-bogey that shook her confidence. The tension was palpable as the gallery watched in disbelief. The once-commanding Babirye suddenly seemed vulnerable.

Things went from bad to worse on the 16th hole, where she registered another bogey. The pressure was mounting, and Babirye’s chances of holding onto her lead were slipping away. But the real heartache came on the 17th hole, known as the Deo Akope Hole, where she completely lost her rhythm. Babirye carded another triple-bogey, effectively knocking herself out of contention for the championship.

By the time she reached the 18th hole, it was clear that the title had slipped through her fingers. Babirye’s frustration was evident as she hit the longest drive of the day but couldn’t capitalize, four-putting her way to an 80 for the round, leaving her with a gross score of 232. What started as a day full of promise ended in bitter disappointment.

The same fate befell Babirye in 2018 as she was pursuing her maiden championship. She let the title slip away, with Tanzania’s Neema Olomi, who wasn’t even in the pressure group, coming out of nowhere to clinch the title.

Meanwhile, as Babirye struggled, Hawa Wanyeche appeared to be on the verge of clinching the title. Heading into the final hole with a one-stroke advantage, she needed to hold steady to secure the win. However, Wanyeche faced her own set of challenges. She overshot the green on her third shot, leaving herself in a precarious position on a downslope with a difficult flag placement.

Wanyeche’s attempt to recover fell short as her putt didn’t clear the fairway, and her subsequent aggressive attempt only made things worse, leading to a disastrous 8 on the hole. The mental strain was evident as Wanyeche’s title hopes faded away.

Iddy Madina, who had been quietly consistent, seized the opportunity as her competitors faltered. She calmly played her approach to the center of the green on the 18th and, after watching Wanyeche’s struggles, putted twice to secure her first Johnnie Walker Uganda Ladies Open title after decades of trying. Madina’s patience and composure in the face of her opponents’ collapses earned her the trophy.

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