Sebbaale tops first quarter Serena 63 Golf Championship

Kato Sebbaale remained top with 242 points after the first quarter of the I&M Bank Serena 63 Golf Series Championship held at the Lake Victoria Serena Golf Resort and Spa on Saturday.

His best six rounds out of 14 produced an average of 40.3 points, ensuring he remained top ahead of defending champion David Plenderleith, who is on 232 points from 14 rounds, with an average of 38.7 points from his best six.

The feat earned Sebbaale a Quantum Callaway driver valued at sh4.3m after the Saturday event that attracted 136 players.

Serena's marketer William Mpungu (left) and General Manager Duncan Lewa (right) present prizes to Timothy Musiime who was the runners up in the subsidiary event. Photo by Michael Nsubuga

“I feel great to be in the lead. This is a great field, with great people and great golfers, and coming out a winner is hilarious and feels good. There is not much in terms of strategy; I just come and enjoy and play good golf,” Sebbaale said.

“The beauty with this event is you have a chance to play many rounds, and they pick the best, so it doesn’t give you much pressure. If you play badly today, there is a chance for improvement. The tournament has a great future and very good innovation.

“Golf soothes your mental pressures, it takes away a lot of stress, and you walk long distances without thinking about it. It’s a brilliant game, and I encourage everybody to come into golf, and this misconception that it is a game for rich people does not hold. Even students are now involved,” Sebbaale stated.

Tied in third position is Jimmy Mugerwa and Gift Shoko, who are all on 227 points, while John Byabagambi and Francis Nshekanabo are also tied in fourth with 225 points each. Alex Guma (44pts) topped the subsidiary event played on Saturday, taking home a driver worth sh3.7m, with Timothy Musiime coming second with 43 pts.

Serena's marketer William Mpungu (left) and General Manager Duncan Lewa (right) present prizes to Alex Guma who won the subsidiary event. Photo by Michael Nsubuga

Nobuyoshi Kida, Isaac Nsereko, and Eric Miller also walked away with prizes, having returned 40 points each.

Timothy Musiime, the Chief Financial Officer of I&M Bank Uganda, noted that golf, like any other sport, continues to unite people across borders and cultures and has the power to create excitement. 

“Golf in Uganda continues to grow steadily with increasing participation across clubs, corporate tournaments, and junior programs. The sport is becoming not only a game of competition, but also a huge platform for networking, for wellness, and for business engagement, and the I&M Bank Serena 63 Golf Series is proud to be part of this growth,” Musiime stated. 

“At I&M Bank, we are committed to creating value beyond traditional banking, and through partnerships like this, we are able to connect with our clients in meaningful ways that align with their lifestyle and interests.” 

He reminded the golfers that they can enjoy exclusive golf privileges, including up to 30% off green fees, complimentary guest play, and access to select golf courses worldwide through the MasterCard Golf Program for the bank’s MasterCard World Elite Cardholders. I&M Bank Head of Marketing and Corporate Communications, Annette Nakiyaga, said the future plans for this event include continuing to introduce bigger prizes and new partners, such as Kenya Airways, which will offer tickets to any destination it flies to.

 “For I&M Bank, this level of engagement is both humbling and motivating. It gives us more confidence to continue our partnership with the series and even find ways to make the experience even more rewarding for participants,” Nakiyaga said. 

The tournament is unique because it is open to golfers from different clubs and offers distinctive prizes for top players, encouraging and inspiring them to participate. Lake Victoria Serena Golf Director Theo Van Rooyen said 479 rounds of golf had been played since the launch of the event in April. He said the second-quarter event will be held on September 12 and the grand finale on November 14. Each of these events will reward top performers in both main and subsidiary categories, as well as with side bets. Participation in the series is open to both club members and non-members for a one-time registration fee of $35 (sh63,000), which includes green and caddie fees.

Serena 63 1st Quarter results

Overall winner

Kato Sebbale 242pts

Runner up

David Plenderleith 232

Jimmy Mugerwa 227

Gift Shoko 227

John Byabagambi 225

Francis Nshekanabo 225

Subsidiary results

Overall winner

Alex Guma 44pts

Timothy Musiime 43

Nobuyoshi Kida 40c/b

Isaac Nsereko 40c/b

Eric Miller 40c/b

Longest drive

Brian Omeda

Nerima Shaminah

Nearest to the pin

Jasi Rommel

Katy Kabenge