Ugandan amateur golfers pick valuable lessons from the MKO Pro-Am

Ugandan amateur players who qualified to play in this year’s DP World Tour Magical Kenya Open (MKO) Pro-Am tournament left Nairobi rejuvenated and eager to improve after picking up valuable tips from professionals.

Nine amateurs and some customers of Absa Bank were offered an opportunity to play in the precursor to the DP World Tour event, and they left satisfied with what they achieved.

The winning amateurs who enjoyed the all-expense paid trip include Alex Mango, Bob Matsiko, Emma Tayebwa, Michael Koima Musiime, Paul Habyarimana, Wendy Angudeyo, Ivan Arinaitwe, Patricia Mbabazi, and Michael Tumusiime, who all travelled to Kenya, having excelled in the Absa-sponsored Pro-Am tournament that precedes the Uganda Open every year.

These were given five-star treatment at the Kempinski Villa Rosa Hotel, courtesy of Absa, who also gave them a chance to test their skills at the Karen Golf Course. Several other Ugandans who travelled on their own also took turns playing the different courses in Nairobi in between watching the Magical Kenya Open.

“We had a good round, we were playing with Jeong Weon Ko from France, a Japanese national. The course was very challenging, but it was a learning session, and we saw how the professionals approach the greens, the choice and selection of clubs, and the concentration, so we learned a lot. What I have learned is that when you learn, you enjoy the game even better, and we thank Absa for giving us this opportunity, because, with golf, you learn a new thing. I also realise I need to improve my chipping because it is one area I need a lot of improvement,” Musiime said.

Timothy Okanya, a staff member of the bank who played alongside Absa Bank’s Executive Director David Wandera and professional Adrian Otaegui, said the experience was great, and he was mostly amazed by the level of concentration, consistency, and fitness these professionals possess, and the ability for them to always get their shots right was amazing.

I learned a lot from him in terms of preparation, commitment to the shot, and consistency. He gave us some quite insightful tips, so I hope to practice more as well, looking after my body, because this will translate into what type of player you will become.

Paul Habyarimana said the experience was quite interesting as the course was in fantastic condition, and it was also good to play with the professionals and see how they handled things.

“The pro we played with had a swing coach working with him, his caddie was also like an ex-player, so it was interesting to see how they discuss before and after a certain shot and how they plan that for the next day on the same hole, so all-in-all, it was an enjoyable experience,” Habyarimana said.

“For one of my amateurs, they helped him change the way he was swinging and immediately you could see an improvement,”

“Absa has done a fantastic job and we hope and pray that they will continue sponsoring this because it is really good and it will improve Uganda’s golf,”

Ajay Pal Singh, one of the other Absa customers who played alongside other Absa staff David Wandera and Timothy Okanya, and pro Adrian Otaegui, said it was an experience that they would cherish forever.

“We played -26 as a team; it was a phenomenal day, the weather was good and it has been a wonderful experience to come and play the MKO and it will always be cherished when we play again,”

“We asked the professional a lot of questions, and he was kind enough to offer tips. He explained to us several aspects of the game, and it was a spectacular experience,” Singh said.

Patricia Mbabazi, who was experiencing the event for the first time, said their group played alongside English professional Matthew Jordan, who was very chatty and offered several tips to the group.

“I think I learned a lot by playing with him; he played an amazing game, and so did we,” Mbabazi noted.

Wendy Angudeyo, who was returning to the MKO for the second time courtesy of Absa, said she was happy to enjoy the wonderful experience at the course, which is nice to enjoy a round at.

“We can’t thank Absa enough for this sponsorship, it encourages us to play well, especially with professionals of such calibre. You learn a lot, and in the end, you go back with something. For example, I have a phobia for bunkers but Nick Bachem gave me a few tips and I’m now ready to tackle them as they come,” Angudeyo stated

Absa Bank Managing Director Mumba Kalifungwa, who also experienced the MKO Pro-Am for the first time, said it was very exciting and offered a great experience.

He said their contractual obligation with the Uganda Golf Union will see them continue sponsoring more Ugandans for the annual event.

“For now, we have a standing agreement that we continue to honour, and I can confirm that we will continue participating in sports, and golf sponsorship is a property that we will continue to support in the foreseeable future for as long as it remains commercially achievable for us, but our desire is just to continue to support Ugandans and expose them to the international stage of playing golf,” Kalifungwa stated.