Agaba, Bagaaya take the day at Jinja Nile Golf Cup

Kasolo (left) hands over the Nile Golf Cup prize to Agaba on Saturday. Photo/Denis Edema

Jinja Union Golf Club secretary Alex Agaba showed up to enjoy himself at the weekend’s Nile Golf Cup but got more than he bargained for, while Victoria Bagaaya crossed the Nile back to Tooro with the ladies’ crown.

Agaba carded 71 to win the overall tournament after 18 holes, beating Jinja’s Palm Valley  golfer Rogers Eyoyo by two strokes in the second edition of the one-day Jinja Nile Golf Cup tournament over the weekend .

“I just came to enjoy my game without pressure but found myself winning today, thanks to my good putting during my last two holes on my back nine,” said Agaba, who had two birdies at holes 17 and 18  at the nine-hole Jinja Golf Club.

Tooro Golf Club’s Bagaaya showed little courtesy for her ‘host’ Catherine Buttner, defeating the Jinja Club veteran golfer by one stroke after carding 65.

Bagaaya, still a rookie by any standard, needed two birdies and six pars to save for the title of the tournament co-sponsored by Nation Media Group (NMG) under its subsidiaries Daily Monitor,  NTV Uganda and KFM.

Authorities in Jinja used the tournament at their greens to advocate for environmental conservation with a call to golfers champion efforts against dumping of waste in lakes and rivers.

Jinja City Mayor-elect Peter Kasolo, who was the chief guest during the prize giving ceremony, said: “We all need safe water to have good health so let’s not pollute River Nile.”
NTV brand executive David Jonathan Sentongo pledged more support for the tournament.

Jinja South Division Mayor-elect Nasser Ashraf called on companies to join hands with city council as they aim to promote golf in the region by organising Jinja mayor’s golf open  
“In order to help conserve  our water, we’ll organise an annual  ‘Jinja Mayor’s Golf Tournament,”  he said.

Over 120 golfers from various clubs in the country participated in the one-day tournament in Jinja with the aim of conservation of river Nile. 

The event was co-sponsored by Eskom, NFA, Nile Breweries Ltd, Rwenzori, Century Bottling Company, among others.

Jinja Nile Golf Cup
Leaderboard
Ladies
Victoria Bagaaya    65 Nett
Pavie Catherine        66
Dorothy Nabirye    72
Men 
Group A
Alex Agaba         71 Nett
R. Eyoyo        73
C. Kalumuna         79 c/b
Group B
P. Wakholi         73
J.Owachi          74
K. Joel           75
Group C 
M. Monne          69 Nett
A. Walter            76
D. Rwabugwire         79 c/b
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