Judith Komugisha, the best local performer in the 2026 Uganda Ladies Open Golf Championship, finds herself in unfamiliar territory. Never before has she played in the pressure group of the Uganda Golf Open.
However, after shooting a 77 on Thursday, she closed the day tied for second alongside Tanzania’s Hawa Wanyeche. Leading the field is another Tanzanian, Neema Olomi, who shot a three-over 75.
Komugisha remains calm heading into Friday’s round, where she will tee off in the same group as the Tanzanian pair at 10:20 a.m.
“I have been training for this,” Komugisha noted after her round. “I will take it like any other round and stick to my game plan; I will not feel overawed. Playing against them (Olomi and Wanyeche) will be okay; we shall be playing the same course and hoping to beat it. As far as I’m concerned, the plan will be to minimize my mistakes.”
One of those errors occurred on the 12th hole when her second shot flew over the green into a hazard, resulting in a double bogey, a mistake she needs to avoid going forward.
For 2023 champion Peace Kabasweka, who sits three shots off the pace, Friday offers a chance for a better front nine. “The front nine killed me today; I just couldn’t swing,” the soft-spoken golfer remarked.
She turned at six-over but held firm through the final hole. “I will be playing with less pressure, and hopefully, that will help me.”
Kabasweka will play in the second group alongside Martha Babirye and the fast-rising Wilshire Keisha Kagoro, who is fresh off a victory at the Botswana Ladies Open.
It promises to be an exciting trio to watch, featuring two of the country’s top female golfers alongside one of the game’s brightest future stars. All three shot 78 on Thursday.
Organizers and enthusiasts will be hoping the skies stay clear on Friday after a one-hour rain delay on Thursday.
Besides Tanzania, other countries represented at the Open include neighbouring Rwanda, as well as West African golfers from Ghana and Nigeria.
Tanzania boasts the largest foreign contingent with five players in the field. However, there are no Kenyan golfers competing in this year’s Open.
