Coutinho wins UCAA Seniors Golf Open
Dec 02, 2019
Coutinho will as a result of his performance fly to Mombasa courtesy of Uganda Airlines who were co-sponsors.
GOLF
Alex Coutinho shot 146nett over 36 holes to win the Uganda Civil Aviation Authority (UCAA) Seniors Golf Open tournament at Kitante on Sunday.
Playing off handicap 8 in the Bronze Category (55-64 years), Coutinho edged his closest challengers Mark Ntege and John Waigo by four strokes to win another major in his 35-year career.
"I'm very happy to win the seniors tournament for the very first time. I have been preparing for the past three months, putting up my muscle strength, playing with the professionals to prepare, but even then there was a lot of competition," Coutinho said.
Seniors golf open champion Alex Couthino (right) receives the winners' trophy from Seniors' chairman Mark Ntege (left) as UCAA Board Member Olive Lumonya and UCAA Director General Prof. David Mpanga look on after the Seniors Open tournament at Kitante, Dec 1, 2019.
"I want to thank my fellow seniors for turning up pushing everyone but in the end, I'm glad I won. You know, golf is a mixture of skill and luck and I had a lot of good luck today to win this trophy.
"I had a very good caddie Pius Kakuru with whom we worked very well. But I double-bogeyed the par 5's on the front-nine so I had to recover. I was six-over after four holes and then I got nine-straight pars after that," Coutinho, who also produced the longest drive noted before he was crowned by UCAA Director General Professor David Mpanga.
Coutinho will as a result of his performance fly to Mombasa courtesy of Uganda Airlines who were co-sponsors. Ernest Rukundo who won the men's subsidiary event will also enjoy the same privilege.
Ntege, Waigo and Sam Byagagaire topped the gold, silver and bronze categories while Onyango Matata produced the best gross score of 166 over the two days of action.
Family Affair: Minister Monica Ntege was delighted her better half Mark Ntege (2nd right), won the Gold Category.
Grace Kabonero won the ladies' version of the seniors' tournament where Gertrude Acato was the gross winner on top of the nearest and longest drives.
Minister of Works Monica Ntege presided over the awards and urged more women to join the seniors' competition.
UCAA seniors golf open results
Overall winner
Alex Coutinho 146nett
Gross winner
Onyango Matata 166
Gold category
Mark Ntege 150nett
Chris Mutegyeki 152
Sam Zaramba 154
Minister Monica Ntege awards gross winner Onyango Matata.
Silver category
John Waigo 150
Jackson Karyarugookwe 157
Denis Tindyeebwa 158
Bronze Category
Sam Byagagaire 146
Frank Mugambagye 152c/b
Fred Kasumba 152
First-18 winner
Gier Chuang 73nett
Second-18 winner
David Musisi 73
Senior lady Grace Kabonero (left) picks his awards from UGU president Innocent Kihika.
Longest drive
Alex Coutinho
Nearest to the pin
Jamil Maningi
Senior Ladies
Overall winner
Grace Kabonero 162nett
Jovia Otim 162
Ruth Ssali 163
Gross winner
Grace Acato 195
Longest drive
Gertrude Acato 195
Nearest to the pin
Gertrude Acato
Couthino (left) was a double winner taking the longest drive prize as well.
First 18-winner
Connie Mukuru 83
Second 18-winner
Shamim Juma 80
Subsidiary results
Group A
Ernest Rukundo 141
Rodell Gaita 143
Rajab Piwang 144
Group B
Andrew Opio 144
Edward Okech 146
Kim Jeong 147
Group C
Mark Namanya 146
Mark Nahabwe 155
Tushar Mashru 159
Ladies Group A
Katy Kabenge 146
Caroline Namutebi 148
Anne Abeja 155
Group B
Rhoda Kimera 166
Victoria Ngabire 170
Olivia Musisi 170
