Karichu leads at halfway stage

Kampala. From the look of things, not even Saturday’s pressure group will give a glimpse of who will take home the title at the 77th Castle Lite Uganda Amateur Golf Open in Entebbe.
Why? The leaderboard is much changed after Day Two action yesterday and the forecast shows that twists and turns will continue.
For now, Kenyan John Karichu is the man in charge after he carded the day’s best round of three-under par 68 to gain a two-shot lead at the halfway stage in the title race.
Quiet in third place following a round of 70 on Day One, Karichu moved two places up after taking his overall tally to three-under, underlining the Kenyan’s dominance so far in Entebbe.
“I enjoyed myself,” Karichu said after shooting five birdies on Holes 1, 7, 10, 14 and 15. “I was putting well,” the former Kenya Amateur Player of the Year said.
Karichu, who took bogeys on Holes No.11 and 12, is aiming for the big prize. “My aim is to win the Open come Saturday (tomorrow),” he stated, “So my plan is to maintain the aspects of the game and get better,” added Karichu.
Karichu is two strokes ahead of two-time Open champion Ugandan Ronald Otile who carded 73.
The 2015 and 2016 course king Otile struggled with four bogeys on the back nine on Holes No.2, 6, 8, 9 and his five birdies were sandwiched by more bogeys on Holes No.10, 12 and 18.
“It was a tough day,” Otile described his round after maintaining second place. “I had expected to add a round of may be 70 to my good start (four-under) but I will polish up,” the South Africa based star noted.
Following the cut yesterday, Karichu and Otile will tee-off in pressure group at 12pm today in company of Entebbe’s darling Herman ‘Deco’ Mutebi.
Bidding to make most of home advantage, Mutebi returned level par 71, like on Wednesday, to surge from joint-ninth to joint-third on 142 gross with another Kenyan Edwin Mudanyi.
“I am putting well but would love to improve on my driving,” Mutebi said. Five-under Day One leader Mudanyi complained of pain in the right arm after returning five-over 76.

77TH CASTLE LITE UGANDA OPEN
1 John Karichu (KEN) 70 68 138
2 Ronald Otile (UGA) 67 73 140
T3 Herman Mutebi (UGA) 71 71 142
T3 Edwin Mudanyi (KEN) 66 76 142
5 Samuel Njoroge (KEN) 71 73 144
6 Mutahi Kibugu (KEN) 70 75 145
7 Daniel Baguma (UGA) 74 72 146
8 Edrine Okwong (UGA) 74 73 147
T9 Gaita Rodell (UGA) 75 73 148
T9 Anthony Macharia (KEN) 73 75 148
T9 Joseph Cwinyaai (UGA) 71 77 148
T9 Denis Asaba (UGA) 77 71 148)