Akope hopes Foundation changes lives

Deo Akope has lived the greater part of his life in golf. It is something that inevitably humbles him.

“I don’t remember when I started playing but it’s a long time,” he said in an emotional speech last weekend at Entebbe Golf Club.

Akope had just witnessed a field of 211 players grace the inaugural Deo Akope Challenge Golf tournament over three days at the par-71 course

Akope humbled

“Before I go through anything, just seeing you here makes me breakdown,” the 43-year-old said. A group of friends and companies had helped Akope launch works of his Deo Akope Foundation through this championship.

“I was not born in Entebbe but was bred in Entebbe because I had my uncle who was a flight engineer. The first club I held was a cassava stick and we would make our own balls. One of my friends got into the club and we used to share the clubs,” Akope narrated his background.

And the feeling with Entebbe is mutual. The par-4 Hole No.17, whose tee-box is right below the church next to the clubhouse, is considered to be the most difficult hole on the Entebbe course and thereby named the ‘Akope Challenge’.

Akope’s career has lasted nearly three decades highlighted by a three-peat Uganda Amateurs Open glory from 2000-2002 as well as the 2006 and 2016 Uganda Pros Open titles.

Giving back with Akope Foundation

Along the way, Akope made and inducted so many friends into the game. “I started this Foundation as a way of giving back to golf which has brought me up to this level,” he said.

The Akope Foundation is built on four pillars; promote golf among children especially the less privileged, develop young talented golfers, and provide a platform for children to find success through golf and education, and create opportunities for professional golfers.

And for the first time, a major tournament for professionals other than the Uganda Pros Open had been staged.

A group of 33 men and ladies competed for a Shs15m kitty with David Kamulindwa emerging as the winner after 54 holes. Two female pros Evah Magala and Irene Nakalembe competed and the latter made the cut.

Dutch-inspired Orange jacket

“All the green fees of Friday and Saturday, a part of them will go to the Deo Akope Foundation,” Akope announced, much to the applause of the audience at the 19th Hole.

Like the green jacket awarded to the winner of the Masters at Augusta National in the USA, Akope wants to make his Challenge symbolic.

He introduced an orange jacket for the winner and Kamulindwa was the first winner on Saturday. Akope dressed Kamulindwa in the jacket at the 18th green of Entebbe, a sight akin to American Scottie Scheffler receiving his second career green jacket from Spaniard Jon Rahm at Augusta last month.

“I had the idea of a jacket. The Masters is a green jacket. I said let me use my football World Cup team - the Dutch, and their colour is orange,” Akope explained.

Growing the Akope Challenge

Akope, who was recently elected as new chairman of Uganda Professionals Golfers Association (UPGA), wants the Challenge to grow out of Entebbe with legs at Uganda Golf Club (UGC) and Lake Victoria Serena Kigo and as well, a sizable kitty to attract the foreign legion.

Yet, he is also looking to engage the UPGA members to teach children golf skills through partnerships with schools. But, he knows the task is huge to impact more lives through golf.

It explains his current move to search for funding. The outgoing Kenya High Commissioner to Uganda Ambassador H.E Maj. Gen. George Owinow made a pledge to that.

“The Kenya High Commission and the Kenya fraternity, we have 11 new golfers who Deo has brought on board. More importantly, this is something we are discussing. The future of golf is young people. One big institution is coming on board to support this Foundation,” he said.

Organisations like Marsh, Streetclub, EGC, Kabalaza, Par or birdie, Twelve Foods, Upscale Events, West Nilers, Capital Radio, Orchard Interiors, Uganda Golf Anion, Aviator and Numax Cinemas supported the Challenge’s first edition.

1ST DEO AKOPE CHALLENGE (2024)

PROFESSIONALS FINAL LEADERBOARD

1 David Kamulindwa             70 73 70 213

2 Marvinmax Kibirige            70 73 73 216

3 Ronald Otile                        70 75 72 217

T4 Saidi Mawa                       69 75 74 218

T4 Rodell Gaita                      70 71 77 218

T6 Kabise Canary                   74 76 70 220

T6 Abraham Ainamani            74 72 74 220

8 Grace Kasango                     74 75 73 222

T9 Bulhan Matovu                  75 75 74 224

T9 Irene Nakalembe                71 77 76 224

DEO AKOPE CHALLENGE PRIZE STRUCTURE

Professionals Winner: David Kamulindwa 213

Gross Amateur Winner: Joseph Cwinyaai 215 gross

Gross Lady Winner: Peace Kabasweka 226 gross

Juniors Winner: Rachael Atukunda 38 points (c/b)

Seniors Winner (M): Sean Kinsella 35 pts

Overall Subsidiary Winner: Mark Rubatsimbira 44 pts

GROUP WINNERS

MEN

A: Alexander Matsiko 42 pts

B: Phillip Okanya 42 pts

C: Micheal Musiime Koima 39 pts (c/b)

LADIES

A: Rita Apell 38 pts (c/b)

B: Evelyn Atukunda 34 pts

LONGEST DRIVE

M: Ronald Osekeny

L: Janet Kabayonga

NEAREST TO THE PIN

M: Emmanuel Tayebwa

L: Harriet Kitaka