The 20-year-old, currently ranked among the top 500 amateur golfers worldwide, secured his spot on merit and is now preparing for what he calls a “dream and honour” opportunity.

Speaking after collecting his visa from the US embassy on Monday, Akena said, “My golf journey continues to unravel in many unique, interesting ways and I hope that I can learn one or two things when competing against some of the best golfers in the world golf capital that is America.”

Akena, who plays out of Lugazi, has enjoyed a breakout year.

He was a key part of Uganda’s national team that beat Kenya at the Victoria Cup in March and dominated the local circuit with a string of wins in the Kakira Open, Jinja Open, Lugazi Centenary, Mbale Open, Kilelesi event, and the Godfrey Nsubuga Invitational.

His biggest moment came with his victory at the Uganda Open, which cemented his status as the country’s top amateur golfer.

Despite his excitement for the US tournament, Akena admitted he’s a bit disappointed to miss next month’s Pearl of Africa Golf Series in Lugazi.

“I would have loved to play in the POA event,” he said. “But in life, you can’t have your cake and eat it. I will miss POA. But I will be around to the Open.”

He credited his rise to the support of the R&A High Performance Programme and the Uganda Golf Union.

With this backing and his game still on an upward curve, Akena is tipped as the favourite to retain his Uganda Open crown later in the year, especially since it will be played on the course where he first learned the game.

Akena won’t be Uganda’s only representative at the US Amateur qualifiers. The man he succeeded as Uganda Open champion, Godfrey Nsubuga, will also be in action in the US, teeing off from July 14 to 17.

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Akena, who has been on a tear throughout 2024, finished with a net score of 212, four strokes ahead of runner-up Phillip Kasozi, to claim his fourth title of the year.

The three-leg tournament, played across the Kigo, Kampala, and Entebbe golf courses, saw Akena consistently excel.

He opened with a level-par 72 at Lake Victoria Golf Resort and Spa, followed by a 2-under-70 at Uganda Golf Club, Kampala.

He then capped off the series with a spectacular 4-under-67 at Entebbe, where he began with an eagle on the first hole, setting the tone for his eventual triumph.

“This was a sweet victory,” Akena said after his triumph. “After I opened with an Eagle on hole one in Entebbe, I knew I had an advantage over the opposition and held on.”

Akena’s consistent performance throughout the tournament earned him a significant portion of the UGX 9.6M prize fund.

He expressed his gratitude, saying, “This has been an eventful year. I thank my family, the Lugazi Hills and Country Club management, my personal management team, teammates, and the Uganda Golf Union for all the support.”

Akena’s 2024 has been a year of unparalleled success. In addition to the Kileleesi Grand Kwacha, he has also claimed victory at the Mbale Open, the Tanna Memorial Open, the Uganda Amateur Open Championship, the Kakira Open, and the Mehta Open.

His impressive performance has earned him global recognition, currently ranking 179th among 4,926 golfers on the world amateur golf ranking.

While Akena dominated the leaderboard, the final leg in Entebbe witnessed a moment of pure magic. David “Amooti” Kamulindwa, using a Titlist 6-Iron PXG Pro V 1X club, aced the par-3 16th hole, adding a thrilling highlight to the competition.

Uganda Golf Union president, Dr. Jackson Were, attended the prize-giving ceremony, praising the event’s success and pledging support for future tournaments.

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