Habibu Kissande champion of the JBG Open Golf tournament 2019

Habibu Kissande is the champion of the 2019 JBG Open Golf Tournament after returning 45 stableford points at Entebbe Golf Club Saturday this weekend.

The 24 year old from Kilembe Mines Golf Course at the foot of the Rwenzori Mountains, Kasese District in western Uganda says that JBG is one of the tournaments he has been dreaming to win.

Over 230 golfers including 33 professionals took part in the three days of the 22nd JBG open golf tournament that starting on Thursday to Saturday of 5th October at Entebbe golf club.

Kissande from the Kilembe Mines Golf Club was announced as the champion of the 22nd of the Open after scoring 45 Stableford points.

Kissande parted once on four holes making four Birdies in law on back 9.

Despite making a mistake on whole 17 with a double bogie, Kissande made sure that he recovers with a birdie on whole 18 to turn up with 24 points.

Kissande last won in 2014 when he won Hima open. “JBG is one of the tournaments I have been dreaming of win. I decided to be courageous. My strategy was to be confident during the game. I knew my driving might be off, I tried to recover on the green and my scoring was okay,” Kissande said.

He adds that he enjoys playing on wet course something that favoured him on the day. “Entebbe Golf course is like our course and I enjoy playing on wet courses,” said Kissande.

Annet Nakiyaga handicap 36 returned 38 stable points to take the overall winner ladies.

Richard Baguma returned 72 one over par, 71 level, 72 one over with a total of 215 having gone to the final round with six shots par to the professionals after three days of golf.

Tooro Club’s Baguma took home 20,000,000 Uganda shilling courtesy of JBG. Thirty three professionals were battling for this cash. National team star Nsubuga Godfrey came second in pro category.

Entebbe Golf Club’s Christopher Baguma won Gross category after returning 72 and 73 a total of 143 points. Geofrey Orach won the nearest to the pin.

Young Star Anton Krisch won the juniors category after getting 36 stableford points. Krisch says that this is second time playing JBG and feels better with his improvements. “I played JBG before, last time I struggled a lot but this time the tournament was fun,” Krisch said.

This year’s tournament was under the theme ‘engineering the future’ and according to Timothy Balaza the head of Infrastructure at JBG (GAUFF Group) says that since 1998 of golf tournament, the tournament has seen number of players increase in number and Entebbe Golf club members has also increased over time. “Every year we get better, it gives us more motivation to keep sponsoring this club and tournament. At the start Entebbe club had a limited number of membership and today the membership has increased,” said Balaza.

Winners in all categories took home 20million shillings to the professional winners, trophies to the champion of the tournament, golf bags, set of golf clubs and beer mugs among others.