Herman “Deco” Mutebi capped a remarkable four-day run at the Entebbe Golf Club with a wire-to-wire victory in the second leg of the Pearl of Africa Golf Series, finishing at five-under par 279 to secure his maiden win on the professional circuit.
Mutebi, who opened the tournament with a 68 on Wednesday, maintained his lead across all four rounds, holding off a determined charge from Rodell Gaita Tadeo during Saturday’s final round.
The former caddie closed with a composed one-under 70, showcasing grit and maturity under pressure to finish two strokes ahead of Gaita.
The final round proved to be a tense duel between the two frontrunners. After matching birdies on the front nine, both players turned in scores of 34, keeping the gap at two strokes heading into the back nine.
Gaita reduced the deficit to one on the 10th but failed to capitalize on a crucial opportunity at the 11th, three-putting from inside ten feet as Mutebi steadied with par.
Despite Gaita’s impressive chip-in on the par-3 12th and a long birdie putt on the 14th, Mutebi consistently responded with birdies of his own to stay ahead.
A missed short birdie putt by Gaita on the 15th, followed by a bogey on 16 and a costly double-bogey on the 17th after his ball got stuck in a tree, all but ended his title challenge. Mutebi also double-bogeyed the hole but maintained a three-stroke cushion going into the final tee.
With the pressure eased, Mutebi closed with a safe par on the 18th, rendering Gaita’s closing birdie academic.
“I knew I just needed to stay calm and stick to my game. Gaita pushed me all the way, but I kept my focus,” Mutebi said after sealing victory and claiming the lion’s share of the UGX 20 million prize pool.
Gaita settled for second place after an otherwise impressive week, while Silver Opio, David Kamulindwa, Abraham Ainamani, Philip Kasozi, and Davis Kato completed the top positions on the professional leaderboard.
In the amateur category, which concluded on Friday, Michael Tumusiime held off challenges from Elton Thembo and Samuel Bazaale to claim top honors after three rounds of competitive golf.
The second leg of the Pearl of Africa Golf Series, hosted by the Entebbe Golf Club, marked another milestone for the event, which continues to grow in stature and competitiveness.
The third and final leg of the 2024 series is scheduled for June in Lugazi, where a new chapter is expected to unfold in what has become a major highlight of Uganda’s golf calendar.
Sponsors of the POA Series include Home Bliss Fort Portal, Uganda Golf Union, NBS Sport, Aquafina, Vivo Energy, MTN, Entebbe Golf Club, and Mighty Rides.
