Kenyan Pro David Wakhu wins Pro-Am withTeam AAR-3

By Michael Nsubuga     
 
Kenya’s professionals David Wakhu and Riz Charania together with Uganda’s Silver Opio have extra motivation going into the first round of the Tusker Malt Lager Uganda Open Professionals tournament after winning some cash from the Pro-Am tournament on Tuesday.

Wakhu tees off the four-day pro event, sh1m richer while Charania and Opio start the sh100m battle with sh800,000 and sh600,000 already in their wallets.

Wakhu led the AAR-3 team to the overall prize after returning 73 gross alongside amateur golfers Eva Magala and Henry Kamuntu who returned 66 and 78 nett respectively.

Uganda Professional golfer Silver Opio (2nd right) poses with his dummy cheque alongside the Sheraton-2 team mates Diana Nabukenya (L),Charles Kabunga and Anthony Agaba (right) who were the  runners up team at the Pro-Am tournament at Kitante, July 28 2015. Photo by Michael Nsubuga

Sheraton-2 were runners up, with Silver Opio’s 72 gross, Charles Kabunga’s 73 and Dianah Nabukenya’s 78 winning them the first runners-up prizes.

Despite producing the best score on the day, a four-under-par 68 gross, Charania’s HTC-4 amateur team mates Sam Kacungira (76 nett) and Ernest Rukundo (79nett) could only finish third after being beaten on count-back by the Sheraton-2 team.

Gloria Mbaguta and Kin Kariisa took the longest drive and the nearest to the pin accolades.

Going by the scores returned in the Pro-am a tight competition is on the cards. Apart from Kenya’s Charania and Zambia Muthiya Madalitso who returned 68 and 69 gross respectively, the next two positions had over three ties each.

Uganda’s Silver Opio, Deo Akope and Kenya’s Anil Shah, Kopan Timbe and C.J Wangai all scored 72 while Brian Njoroge, Simon Ngige, Denis Anguyo, and Vincent Byamukama all returned 73 gross.

Meanwhile Stanbic Bank will add an extra Sh1m to the winners’ purse, tournament director Herbert Rwamibazi announced on Tuesday.