If anyone doubted the future of golf in the country, the 2024 Uganda Junior Golf Open delivered the perfect riposte last Saturday at the par-71 Entebbe Club.
The tournament, the first of a month-long festival of golf, was played in very excellent weather before a great gallery and featured the country’s best players in the age bracket of 12-18.
It attracted youngsters from Mbale Golf Club, Lugazi Hills & Golf Country Club, Toro Golf Club, Mbarara, Kilembe Mines and Mary Louise Simkins, Lake Victoria Serena Golf Resort & Spa and Entebbe.
The kids put on a show with some brilliant strikes off the tee, superb approaches, and stylish swings that took the breath away.
More importantly, all 144 golfers exhibited a tremendous understanding of golf etiquette and competed to win, and not merely participate.
Are Cosmos Ociti and Winnie Musuya generational talents?
The day’s best gross was delivered by fast-rising Entebbe boy Cosmos Ociti. Playing off an index of +1, the long-hitting Ociti returned a gross of 70 to claim the overall trophy.
Ociti is highly rated by Entebbe Club and is viewed as one of the future genuine hopefuls to win the Uganda Amateur Golf Open title.
It helped that the competition was held at his home club, but his talent is beyond question and the years ahead look rosy if he keeps focused, disciplined, and dedicated.
Ociti edged out Lugazi Hills’ Ibrahim Ssemakula by a stroke. The second runner up was Charles Jjunju of Mary Louise Simkins.
In the girl’s competition, Lugazi Hills star Winnie Musuya’s 79 propelled her to victory by a stroke.
She edged Toro’s Laura Natukunda by a stroke while Ariana Bholim finished third in the gross competition of the girls.
In the nett competition, Victoria McKenzie (59 nett) prevailed over Anthea Tumusiime (63) in the girls’ category while Trevor Mutaawe edged Edward Kule on countback in the boys category. Both Mutaawe and Kule played 63 nett.
First impression
The Guest of Honour, National Council of Sports chairman Ambrose Tashobya, was particularly impressed by young Calvin Hooper Mugoya of Mbale Golf Club.
The boy suffered a sprain on the frontline and had been persuaded by his minders to drop out of the tournament.
“This is my first Open and I wasn’t going to accept to exit like that,” Mugoya explained.
He soldiered on and finished with 117 gross. It wasn’t the prettiest score by any measure, but he exhibited the heart of a champion.
“What Mugoya did there is what sport is all about, It is not always about winning,” Tashobya noted in his speech.
The NCS boss added that. “It is about performing to the best of your ability and exhausting whatever you possibly can to get the best out of yourself.”
The Tournament Director Paul Habyarimana later awarded all participants and competitors with souvenir medals.
Entebbe Club Captain Serwano encouraged the young boys and girls to remain disciplined and committed if they plan on lowering their handicaps as they approach the late teen and post-teenage years.
What’s next?
Next in line is the Uganda Ladies Golf Open which tees off on Thursday with a strong field of contenders.
The lineup includes; former champion Martha Babirye, holder Peace Kabasweka and Tanzania’s Iddy Hussein Madina, fresh from winning the Uganda Golf Club Ladies Championship last Saturday.
The Ladies’ Open is juxtaposed with the Seniors’ Open, albeit the latter concludes this Friday.
The Seniors’ defending champion Steven Katwiremu is no leaving no stone unturned in his bid to put on a successful defence.
He will play a practice round there on Tuesday to get to grips with the course conditions and in particular the greens.
Rivaling Katwiremu will be seasoned competitors like Tony Kisadha, Joseph Bagabo, Dr Alex Coutinho, John Muchiri, the evergreen Dr Sam Zaramba and Isaac Mariera.
Next week will be the Uganda Amateur Golf Open, which will precede the Professionals tournament that tees off in the opening week of September.
Photo Credit: Timothy Okiror
