With the promise from the manager of NCBA bank, the game of golf is definitely destined to thrive in the East African region beyond expectation. This is after the managing director for NCBA bank, Mark Muyobo announcing that they have lined up 17 golfing series in the region this year and the junior tournament that was held at Lake Victoria Serena Golf Resort and Spa in Kigo in Kyadondo South constituency during the Easter weekend was one of them. The event dubbed NCBA Golf Uganda Championship 2023 was held on April 8-10.
The players under 10 years played for nine holes while those above went for the full course of 18 holes. Muyobo said that three other NCBA tournaments will be held in Uganda at Uganda Golf Club and Entebbe Golf Club this year while one will be held in each of the other East African countries. The majority of them will be realized in Kenya. “This is the third junior tournament for the juniors in Uganda. Our aim is to spark off the interest of the game of golf to the youngsters in the region in addition to making awareness of our brand. We have injected sh27M for the junior tournament,” Muyobo said at the launch of the tournament late in March. The event attracted 100 players from countries including Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia, South Africa, Austria, USA, Spain, Barbados and Uganda the hosts. They played a stroke format and Uganda under 18 years, Reagan Akena of Mehta Golf Club in Lugazi won the event with a total of 154 strokes in the two days. At the closure of the tournament, Muyobo hailed the players saying it was a good test for the youngsters. “The aim has been realized at the program intended to encourage young stars and there is no better way of developing the game than By Silvano Kibuuka Uganda Golf Union (UGU) President Mr Moses Matsiko at this young age.
I have been very impressed by the skill and competitiveness. The first day many complained of the wet course and greens but on the second day they all laid strategies and improved on their games,” Muyobo said. He said the competitiveness culture and strategizing does not only stop in golf but will also assist them in life all along. He hailed the organizers for making the parents and guardians who escort the children bussy by organizing for them some other indoor games competitions. Muyobo also promised that NCBA bank will sponsor the winners to compete in other junior tournaments in Kenya to crown the year through collaboration with Uganda Golf Union. Uganda Golf Union President: The President of Uganda Golf Union (UGU) Moses Matsiko expressed joy over the NCBA Junior Golf Tournament. He said that it has aided the Ugandan golfers with tips to compete highly in the forthcoming Africa Junior Champion due in Uganda from April 15.
He thanked Serena for hosting the event for the third time saying that it brings global competitiveness to expose the players from the various countries to know that they can win abroad. “The tournament will assist in gauging the quality of our junior player’s ahead of the Africa Juniors. It also gives the opportunity for the young players exposure to participate in an event of a global nature,” Matsiko noted. He also said that helping a boy and girl child to play golf from the age of five year is one of the points in the five – year strategic plan of Uganda Golf Union. The junior tournament is also organized in conjunction with the US Kids golf according to Theodor Van Rooyen, the director of golf at Lake Victoria Serena Golf Resort and Spa■
