The final leg of the inaugural Pearl of Africa Golf Series teed off today, Wednesday, July 16, at the par-71 Lugazi Golf Club, with strong early performances across all categories as the four-day event got underway.
In the professional category, Ronald Otile made a confident start, carding level-par 71 to top the leaderboard after Day 1.
Otile’s steady round gives him a slight edge in a competitive field of 26 professionals all vying for the UGX 20 million prize pool reserved for their category.
In the gross amateur men’s category, it was Juma Abiti who made the biggest statement of the day.
Abiti returned an impressive one-under 70, setting the early pace ahead of 44 other contenders in the group.
Meanwhile, in the gross amateur ladies category, Peace Kabasweka finished the day with a 79, placing her eight over par but still within striking distance given the course conditions.
The final leg of the POA Series has attracted over 180 participants across four main categories: professionals, gross amateur men, gross amateur ladies, and a growing group of subsidiary golfers, which had already exceeded 101 registered players by the close of Wednesday—and numbers are still climbing.
Familiar names on the leaderboard and across the tee sheets include Michael Tumusiime, David Kamulindwa, and Peace Kabasweka, all of whom have featured prominently in previous legs of the series held earlier this year in Entebbe and Kitante.
The tournament is being played in stroke play format, with players aiming to navigate the demanding Lugazi layout through to the final round on Saturday, July 19.
With UGX 5 million and UGX 2 million up for grabs in the amateur men’s and women’s categories respectively, the stakes are high as competition tightens from Day 2 onward.
The Pearl of Africa Golf Series, launched this year to boost professional and amateur golf in Uganda, is wrapping up its inaugural edition with this third and final leg in Lugazi.
After a successful run in Kitante and Entebbe, attention now turns to who will emerge victorious as the series crowns its first season champions.
