Uganda: POA Golf - Mutebi Deco, Kamulindwa Take Control With Three-Under 68s At Entebbe

3 April 2025
The Independent (Kampala)
By The Independent & Ugu Media

Entebbe — With the second leg of the Pearl of Africa Golf Series taking place at the par-71 Entebbe Golf Club, it was always going to be unlikely that the homeboys struggle. It was thus not surprising to see Herman 'Deco' Mutebi and David Kamulindwa shoot impressive rounds of three-under 68 to assume leadership after day one.

Ironically, Mutebi and Kamulindwa both struggled early on Wednesday. The two registered bogeys two bogeys in their opening four holes but thereafter embarked on magnificent streaks to finish as joint leaders. Mutebi ended the day with five birdies including one on the challenging par-4 17th. Kamulindwa too registered five red scores with four of them coming on the back nine.

Closely following the pair are Rodell Gaita Tadeo who returned 69, and Abraham Ainamani and Davis Kato who both carded 70. Ronald Otile, who started with an eagle on no.1, sits right behind them after playing a level round of 70. The playing conditions at Entebbe were generally good on a day of fine weather in clear skies.

With Thursday being a day for the cut, a number of golfers will be under pressure to return the sort of scores that can extend their participation in the competition.

James Koto (75), Richard Baguma (75), Vincent Araali Byamukama (76) and Mawa Saidi (76) are some of the names that are borderline ahead of what should be an engrossing second day.

Mutebi, Kamulindwa Shed Early Bogeys with Torrid Back-Nine Birdie Run, Post Matching 68s to Lock Pearl of Africa Series Lead at Entebbe's Par 71 pic.twitter.com/Yn0ixPzFCd

-- Under Par (@UnderPar_UG) April 2, 2025

The professionals are competing for a kitty of Shs20m in the second leg of the Pearl of Africa Golf Series. The first one, which was held in February, was won by Marvin Max Kibirgie who is in Kenya competing in the Sunshine Development Tour. The third leg of the inaugural Pearl of Africa Golf Series will take place at Lugazi Hills Golf & Country Club in July.

In the gross amateurs, there is a three-way tie of 70. Elton Thembo, Samuel Bazaale and Shashank S. Gadre are all locked at the top on one-under with Michael Tumusiime, Morris Ashaba and Joseph Kasozi, all with 71, behind them. Unlike the professionals, there is no cut for the amateurs. In addition, amateurs will compete over three days and not four like the pros.

It was a nightmarish day for national team captain Joseph Cwinya-ai, one of the pretournament favourites. He suffered a quadruple-bogey on the par-4 no.9 before finishing with a 78. He is eight shots behind the three leaders. Uganda Open champion Joseph Reagan Akena had a modest round of 73 and is in a four-way tie for seventh together with fellow national team golfer Titus Okwong, Andrew Ssekibejja and Peter Tumusiime.

Sponsors of the Pearl of Africa Series include Home Bliss Fort Portal, Uganda Golf Union, NBS Sport, Aquafina, Vivo Energy, MTN, Entebbe Golf Club and Mighty Rides. The third and final Pearl of Africa Golf series leg of the year will be held in Lugazi in June.

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Thursday's draw

TIME NAME TIME NAME

08:00 1 RODELL GAITA 09:20 1 GRACE KASANGO

2 PETER SENDAULA 2 ROBERT HAPPY

3 PHILLIP KASOZI

08:10 1 TOM JINGO 09:30 1 CANARY KABISE

2 HERMAN D. MUTEBI 2 ADOLF MUHUMUZA

3 BRIAN MWESIGWA 3 IRENE NAKALEMBE

08:20 1 SAMUEL KATO 09:40 1 LAWRENCE MUHENDA

2 GERALD KABUYE 2 RICHARD BAGUMA

3 BULHAN MATOVU 3 EVAH MAGALA

08:30 1 ABRAHAM AINAMANI 09:50 1 SAIDI MAWA

2 RONALD OTILE 2 MACKIE NASSER

3 ASHRAF BAGALANA 3 EMMA OGWANG

08:40 1 SILVER OPIO 10:00 1 PAUL HABYARIMANA

2 HENRY LUJJA 2 AARON ECEL

3 JAMES KOTO 3 SAIDI KIRARIRA

08:50 1 OPIO ONITO 10:10 1 SAMUEL NTUMWA

2 RONALD BUKENYA 2 JAMES J. OKEMA

3 DAVID KAMULINDWA 3 EDWIN BAGUMA

09:00 1 DEO AKOPE 10:20 1 JOSEPH BAGABO

2 HERMAN MUTAWE 2 ROBERT MABANO

3 VINCENT BYAMUKAMA 3 EMMANUEL LWANGA

09:10 1 HUSSEIN BAGALANA 10:30 1 WALTER TUKAHIIRWA

2 FRED WANZALA 2 RICHARD RUGUMAYO

3 DAVIS KATO 3 JANET KABAYONGA

TIME NAME TIME NAME

10:40 1 MICHAEL BUSINGE 12:00 1 BRIAN MUGABE

2 IVAN NALIMA 2 PIUS OCHIENG

3 NERIMAH SHAMINAH 3 MERON KYOMUGISHA

10:50 1 ANGELO EDRINE WASIKE 12:10 1 PATRICK OKOTH

2 GILBERT KIIZA 2 IGNATIOUS TWESIGYE

3 PATRICK NDASE 3 GLORIA MBAGUTA

11:00 1 ABDUL KAKEETO 12:20 1 JOSEPH CWINYAAI

2 WYCKLYF MARXMAN 2 EDGAR MUZAHURA

3 IVAN J. SEKULIMA 3 PEACE KABASWEKA

11:10 1 HARSSHITHA LOGANATHAN 12:30 1 PHILLIP KASANGO

2 JOYCE KISEMBO 2 JOSHUA SSENABULYA

3 MARTHA BABIRYE 3 BRIAN MUGISHA

11:20 1 BRUCE AIJUKA 12:40 1 LAWRENCE WALAKIRA

2 CHARLES JJUNJU 2 JUMA ABITI

3 RESTY NALUTAAYA 3 IBRAHIM BAGALANA

11:30 1 ISAAC HOLLY OGWAL 12:50 1 GILBERT ASIIMWE

2 JOSEPH KOWA NGOBI 2 ROGERS EYOYO

3 CHARLES L. MULYANGA 3 PATRICK MUBIRU

11:40 1 TONY KISADHA 1:00 1 GODFREY KAMBALE

2 ROBERT MUGABE 2 SANDE LULET

3 HARRIET KITAKA 3 TITUS OKWONG

11:50 1 PETER KISEMBO 1:10 1 PETER TUMUSIIME

2 ABDALLAH KAKOOZA 2 ANDREW SSEKIBEJJA

3 LILLIAN KOOWE 3 JOSEPH REAGAN AKENA

TIME NAME TIME NAME

1:20 1 MICHAEL TUMUSIIME 1:30 1 SHASHANK S. GADRE

2 JOSEPH KASOZI 2 SAMUEL BAZAALE

3 MORRIS ASHABA 3 ELTON THEMBO

Read the original article on Independent (Kampala).

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