Classy Kigo braced for 2019 Castle Lite Uganda Golf Open

KAMPALA- For the third year running, the Uganda Golf Open Championship will be played at a different venue.

The 2019 edition will take place at the magnificent Lake Victoria Serena Golf Resort in Kigo from August 26 - September 14. “There will be 15 days of golf and fun,” Uganda Golf Union (UGU) president Innocent Kihika said at the tournament launch near the elegant clubhouse marina on Monday.
About 700 players are expected to feature in the four-in-one show which begins on Monday with the Juniors’ Open at the par-72 water-filled course.
Of these, a foreign legion of 139 players have registered to take part in the three main events.

Some 74 players from Botswana, France, Ghana, Malawi, Nigeria, Kenya, Senegal, Seychelles, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe are entered in the race for $50000 (Shs184m) kitty in the 14th Professionals’ Open which tees-off September 11-14.

“The Open will be on a world class course and this has played a big part in attracting these numbers,” Kihika stated on Tuesday. “The course is in the best condition and I am sure the players will enjoy at this world class place,” Kigo captain Moses Matsiko stated.

“We have discounted somethings like a practice round from $50 (Shs184,000) to now at $20 (Shs74,000),” said Matsiko.

The championship will take place after a financial shot in the arm worth $121,000 (Shs450m) from flagship sponsors Nile Breweries under brand Castle Lite.
“Nile Breweries has a long and proud association with sports in this country, more so through golf not just in the financial but in many other ways,” said Castle Lite’s brand manager Robert Nsibirwa.

Castle Lite’s package for the Open this year is a collated total of $230,000 (Shs848m) which also took care of the just-concluded Uganda Golf Tour.
“We make our commitment to make this experience over the 15 days a great one for the players and the spectators,” he added. According to Uganda Ladies Golf Union president Eva Magala, 51 players from Kenya, Tanzania, Nigeria and Zimbabwe has already registered for the 69th Uganda Ladies’ Open which tees-off August 29-31.

But UGU have their work cut out to contain the numbers for the forthcoming 78th Amateur Open due September 4-7.

2019 Uganda Open

NOTEBOOK
Hosts:
Lake Victoria Serena Resort & Spa, Kigo
Dates:
Aug. 26 - September 14
Flagship Sponsor:
Castle Lite
Sponsors:
Absa, UTB, Pepsi, Minet, Isuzu, Lake Victoria Serena, Britam, NTV, Timecorp, Liquid Telecom
Tournament Director: John Katto
DEFENDING CHAMPS
Amateur:
Ronald Otile (Uganda)
Ladies:
Neema Olomi (Tanzania)
Professionals:
Dismas Indiza (Kenya)
[email protected]