How Akena won the Uganda Open Golf Championship in Entebbe

On Saturday, Lugazi Hills Golf Club’s Joseph Reagan Akena defied the odds to win the Johnnie Walker Uganda Amateur Golf Championship at Entebbe Club.

Akena, 19, a national team player, carded three-over-par 287 over four rounds to edge his teammate and captain Joseph Cwinyaai by a stroke to become the youngest player to win the championship in a decade, and the second teenager since Stephen Birungi won it at the same age in 1997.

The Juliana High School S.5 student also becomes the first amateur to walk away with a cash prize (sh3.8m) in the tournament’s history and the second from Lugazi to win it after Godfrey Nsubuga’s triumph last year.

Joseph Akena celebrates with his fans from Lugazi after sinking in his winning putt on the 18th green during the Johnnie Walker Uganda Open at Entebbe course. PHOTO: Michael Nsubuga

Previous winners from the prestigious event have only been getting prizes but Ugandan amateurs can, starting with this year’s event win cash not exceeding $1000 each. The top ten in Entebbe shared out sh15m courtesy of co-sponsors Absa Bank.

Akena attributed his win to God and his participation in an African Golf High-Performance training in South Africa from where he not only picked valuable lessons but also returned with customised golf clubs which he used to win the championship.

Joseph Akena is mobbed by his fans after sinking in his winning putt on the 18th green during the Johnnie Walker Uganda Open at Entebbe course. Photo by Michael Nsubuga

“This win means a lot to me because I had only targeted getting two wins this year, now I have three after this comes in as a surprise. I wasn’t counting this but God helped me get it,” Akena, who came targeting a top-three finish said.

Saturday’s win was in addition to the Mbale and Tororo Open wins on top of several second-place finishes from other tournaments this year.

“I was under too much pressure in the third round but came into the last round ready to trust myself. Michael Tumusiime also encouraged me after I bogeyed the first hole. But I have greatly improved mentally and adjusted my swing; I would also like to thank the R$A because they custom-fitted my clubs according to my strength,”

Akena said he had much respect for Cwinyaai and came in the last round to play second fiddle but was equally surprised in the end.

“I know he is a better player but I have achieved today. I thank him for always encouraging me before the tournament. He was putting very well and I thought we were going for a play-off but then he missed.

“I would like to thank the Uganda Golf Union and the R&A, all my coaches, and the Mehta Group for allowing us to utilise their course anytime without charge and to all the players I played with and my family for allowing me to play this game,” Akena stated.

Akena was fourth after the first round, second to Cwinyaai after the second before he took a one-stroke lead which he maintained and won him the championship.

How he won it

Akena surrendered his overnight one-stroke lead on the par-3 hole 2 in the last round which he bogeyed and would trail by two strokes after the sixth hole, which Cwinyaai had birdied in addition to hole-3.

But he regained it when Cwinyaai bogeyed the par-4 hole-9 where Akena got par but the latter then bogeyed hole 11 to send the contest into a tie again.

Akena birdied the par-4 13 to Cwinyaai’s par to restore his lead and thought he was going to stretch it on the 14th when the latter failed to clear the trees to the drivable par-4 green, but he recovered superbly to notch par just like Akena who was in lesser trouble.

It was all-square again when Cwinyaai birdied hole 15 and went ahead when he birdied the par-3 16, but a double bogey on 17 meant they were square again as Akena also bogeyed the hole.

It all ended dramatically on the 18th as pre-tournament favourite Cwinyaai failed to sink in a two-and-a-half-foot putt for par. A par would send the contest to a sudden-death playoff but to his amazement, he handed the advantage to Akena who celebrated the victory with par.

Akena was mobbed immediately by lifted shoulder-high by his fans led by defending champion Godfrey Nsubuga as they celebrated a back-to-back winner from Lugazi as Cwinyaai pondered on what might have been.

The champion notched 12 birdies overall just like Cwinyaai who bettered his return with an eagle on the par-5 hole-7 in the last round.

Titus Okwong grabbed third spot with Ibrahim Ssemakula and Michael Tumusiime settling for fourth and fifth respectively. Defending champion Godfrey Nsubuga paid for his poor start but crawled back to finish joint sixth with Abdu Kakeeto and round-one leader Kenyan Adel Balala.

Uganda Breweries National Advocacy Manager Roy Ronald Tumwizere, Marketing Manager Robert Nsibirwa, accountant Francis Kirabira, and Johnnie Walker brand manager Christine Kyokunda were on hand to immediately congratulate the winner alongside the UGU president Jackson Were.

The UGU will sponsor the top five amateurs to compete in the Professionals Open which starts on Wednesday. The annual event is supported by; Johnnie Walker, Absa Bank, Pinnacle Security, Aquafina, Case Medical Services, HH Solutions, Medisell, and NCS.

Final leaderboard: Top ten

Joseph R. Akena (UG) 73 73 71 70 287

Joseph Cwinyaai (UG) 72 73 73 70 288

Titus Okwong (UG) 73 77 68 73 291

Ibrahim Ssemakula (UG) 78 71 75 73 297

Michael Tumusiime (UG) 74 74 75 75 298

Abdu Kakeeto (UG) 70 78 74 79 301

Godfrey Nsubuga (UG) 82 72 72 75 301

Adel Balala (KEN) 69 82 79 71 301

Ibrahim Bagalana (UG) 81 76 74 72 303

Samuel Bazaale (UG) 73 76 74 80 303