Pro Gaita aims to forge forward after maiden Major at Entebbe Open
First Major. Stanbic Bank's Head of Affluent Banking Arthur Kiwanuka (2nd right) and other co-sponsors representatives Rogers Anguzu (Left) the Commercial Manager Crown Beverages and Paul Kavuma (right) the MD Jubilee Allianz Insurance pose with Entebbe Open winner Rodell Gaita (2nd left) after he won the Entebbe Golf Open at Entebbe Club, November 4, 2023. PHOTO/EDDIE CHICCO
What you need to know:
Gaita picked Shs5m from the cash prize and declared that he was now taking the fight to the Kiri Open in Tanzania on November 23 where he hopes to maintain the same.
Rodell Gaita’s character could literally pass for the detailed explanation of the phrase ‘calmness personified.”
After coming a cropper at the 18th Uganda Professionals Open a week ago, Gaita made the necessary noise to win the revived Stanbic Entebbe Professionals Open by six strokes after four scintillating rounds that left the opposition feeding from his palms on November 4.
Having started with two-under 69, the affable character returned an inch-perfect score of four-under 67 on Day 2, shot one-under 70 on the ‘Moving Day’ and sealed up his sweet triumph with a competitive return of two-under 69 to finish nine-under 275 over four days to claim the lion’s share of the Shs36m professionals cash pot at stake.
And if that is not a roaring week of golf from the young professional golfer, then it will never be referred to as anything else.
Low numbers
.“It is a good feeling, it is a good experience, and we’re getting the numbers low and so hopefully to make them even lower in upcoming events,” exclaimed the eloquent Gaita with the whole house applauding each key message in his winner’s speech.
“The course was beautiful save for a few bumpy greens but we managed to putt because we have grown on these greens, so we had to cope. I have been training so hard not to lose strokes, at worst to play level on every hole so that is how I was able to remain consistent over the four rounds. And this is a nice place to win my first ‘real’ major. Now I want to kick on.”
Gaita picked Shs5m from the cash prize and declared that he was now taking the fight to the Kiri Open in Tanzania on November 23 where he hopes to maintain the same.
Unstoppable Godfrey Nsubuga, the record-winning Uganda Open champion, took the honours in the 36-hole stroke play amateurs’ category by a similar six strokes after fending off competition from defending champion Joseph Cwinyaai.
Both Nsubuga and Gaita also won themselves medical insurance for a year each courtesy of Stanbic and co-sponsors Jubilee Allianz Insurance with the former offering his to her mother for her tireless support.
TOP FIVE PROFESSIONALS
1. Rodell Gaita (UGA) 69 67 70 69 275
2. Abraham Ainamani (UGA) 68 71 73 69 281
3. James Koto (UGA) 69 74 70 69 282
4. Visitor Mapwanya (ZIM) 72 72 74 65 283
5. Adolf Muhumuza (UGA) 75 67 71 71 284
TOP FIVE - AMATEURS
1. Godfrey Nsubuga 69 69 138
2. Joseph Cwinyaai 71 72 143
3. Denis Kabarira 72 76 148
4. Michael Tumusiime 75 75 150
5. Brian Mugabe 73 78 151
