Ronald Rugumayo finally has his Pearl of Africa title! After falling short in a playoff earlier this year, the South Africa-based golfer edged rival Marvin Max Kibirige to win his first POA Golf Series crown on Sunday at the demanding Lugazi Hills Golf and Country Club.
Rugumayo’s win was a personal redemption. In February, Kibirige had beaten him at Uganda Golf Club.
This time, Rugumayo kept his composure especially after a double bogey on the 7th hole cut his lead. Kibirige’s birdie on the same hole briefly swung the momentum.
But Rugumayo dug in. A clutch birdie on 15 helped him seal the win and the Shs3.8 million top prize from the Shs20 million professional pool.
More importantly, it gives him a mental edge heading into the Uganda Open in September, which will also be held at Lugazi Hills.
His victory is the latest in a tightly contested series that has seen different champions at every venue.
Rugumayo joins fellow pros Herman Deco Mutebi (Entebbe) and Kibirige (UGC) as 2025 POA winners.
In the amateur ranks, Joseph Kasozi, John Musiimenta, and Michael Tumusiime have all made their mark.
Organisers announced the POA Series will grow in 2026, adding a fourth course and introducing an order of merit system to reward consistency.
“The Pearl of Africa Series has shown great promise,” said Uganda Golf Union president Dr. Jackson Were. “We look forward to an even stronger edition next year.”
