Uganda’s Serena course to host European Tour event in 2025

For many years, Kenya have enjoyed the bragging rights as hosts of the only European Tour event in the region. Uganda, who are without doubt, juniors to Kenya when it comes to the game of birdies and bogeys are however set to flip a major page in the annals of the game.

Uganda Golf Union (UGU) president Moses Matsiko, who is at the backend of his reign at the helm, has revealed that the Pearl of Africa could soon host the ‘Big Ears’ of golf.

 “This is a revolution,” exclaimed Matsiko, also a security expert, about the European Tour coming home. It is currently titled as the DP World Tour for sponsorship reasons, and legally the PGA European Tour or the European Tour Group, which is the leading men’s professional golf tour in Europe.

 “For Uganda to host a European Tour event, it will be a dream come true. Many past UGU presidents prophesied that it will happen many years from today. Some said it will happen maybe in 100 or 50 years. But now it could happen in the next two years.

 Call for sponsors

“And we already have the requirements. We have a championship course at the Lake Victoria Serena Golf Resort & Spa in Kigo. Now big sponsorship is a must. We (UGU) call upon the government through the National Council of Sports, who are already doing well to triple their efforts and see that we have the biggest event in the world. Golf tourism will be the name of the game.

“I also challenge the Uganda Tourism Board to come through and sponsor. They need to put their foot down. We have the Source of the Nile and we are the Pearl of Africa. We have what it takes and make sure that everyone associated with this event bags big money.”

 Matsiko also highlighted that the Royal and Ancient (R&A) Golf Club of St Andrews in Scotland who govern the game had, a year ago, opened up for amateurs to earn money to a threshold of $1,000 (Shs3.7m) and UGU will follow suit and reward those who play exceptionally well at the amateur level some cash prizes.

 “For their good golf, they (amateurs) will be rewarded after the UGU executive took a measured and conscious decision and choice,” added the eloquent speaker.

 Matsiko concluded by declaring that Entebbe will be the hosts of the Uganda Open next year with the event scheduled for August 2024 rather than October because of the persistent rains that make good play impossible from September to December every year.

“We want players to show their skills in the best way possible at the longest golfing festival in the world. We want to play a dry open and have decided that it is not wise for us to continue fighting Mother Nature,” he concluded.

 Musa Kirya (juniors boys), Frista Birabwa (juniors girls), Steven Katwiremu (seniors men), Roza Mbilizi Madaro (seniors women), Peace Kabasweka (ladies), Godfrey Nsubuga (amateurs) Michael Musime (Absa Pro-Am) and Kenyan Dismas Indiza (professionals) were the biggest winners at this year’s six-in-one 223 Uganda Open Golf Championships event.

CHANGES ON CARD

1. Historic. Serena Kigo will host a DP World Tour event which will boost golf tourism and see many locals earn a lot.

2. Prize Money. For the first time in the history of the Uganda Golf Open Championships, amateur winners will earn prize money to a threshold of $1,000 as per R&A latest development.

3. Calendar Change. Uganda Golf Union have also announced that the four-weeklong Open championship will now be held in the month of August because September to December are rain-marred months in Uganda.