Friday 5 October 2018

Kasozi snatches Serena Johnnie Walker Golf Open title

All smiles. The champion Kasozi. 📷 @jadwong
Lake Victoria Serena Johnnie Walker Golf ⛳️ Open 2018
▶️ Leader-board top 4- Professional category 
Kasozi   🇺🇬 75 | 77 | 70 *222 
Wanzala 🇺🇬 72 | 76 | 77 *225 
Mutawe 🇺🇬 75 | 77 | 73  *225
J.Seale  🇿🇦 75| 81 | 71 *227

 Kigo, Uganda | LOUIS JADWONG | Phillip Kasozi snatched the Lake Victoria Serena Johnnie Walker Professional Golf Open title on Friday after he rallied from 4 strokes behind at the start of the final day, to win by 3. 

 His 70 (two under par) score was not only the best of the three-day tournament at the  lake-side Victoria Par 72 Links Course, but propelled him to an upset over favorite Fred Wanzala, who had ruled day one and two at Kigo. 

 Kasozi said that despite being four stroke behind Wanzala at the start of the final 18 holes, he believed he had what it took to win.

 "I went in today trailing by four strokes and all I needed to do was be patient and wait for my colleagues to drop strokes. I came up with a score in my head of 67, hoping to win with that, but 70 turned out sufficient."

 He said, his under par score was only possible because he did not hit water at all, as nearly all of the 18 holes at the picturesque course, are surrounded by Lake Victoria.

 It was the water hazard at hole 16 that undid all the hard work Wanzala had put in for the first two days. The three strokes he dropped there ultimately decided the winner.

 Kasozi praises Serena course

 Kasozi hailed the course, saying it "is brilliant" and will improve the game. 

 "On behalf of the professionals I thank all who have made this possible."  This is his second win of the season, after August's CBA Golf Professional victory at UGC in Kampala.
Kasozi (left) is congratulated by Wanzala after the final hole.
The water hazard in the background decided it all.
Below, teeing off earlier at hole 18 


After setting the pace with a 72 on day one and 76 on day two, resident pro at the Lake Victoria Serena Golf Resort & Spa Wanzala failed to improve, and a 77 on the final day was clearly not enough for what would have been his first win of the season. 

 "All in all Kasozi putted better than me today, that is how he came back into the game," admitted Wanzala. 

 Hole 16 was the determinant. "I hit the water hazard on hole 16 and ended up with a 6, and he got a 3. Those are the three strokes that gave him the win."

The Johnnie Walker Open teed off on Wednesday morning, with 35 Ugandan golfers eyeing the lion's share of the sh25 million prize money lined up. 

 South African Seale

Also on the course at Kigo was guest player, Joshua Seale from South Africa. 

The 2016 Uganda Professional Open champion failed to make the cut at the Uganda Open at Entebbe  last week, but got an opportunity to not only  bounce back and regain lost pride, but prepare a year in advance for the next edition that will be played for the first time at the Lake Victoria 18-hole course in 2019.
The Serena lake-side Course will be officially launched on Saturday after four days of golf starting with the professionals over three days. 

 An 18-hole invite-only contest by over 200 amateurs will be the main event as the Lake Victoria Serena course is officially launched. (click to read full amateurs draw)

The list of entrants is a "who is who" of Ugandan golf, from former presidents of the Uganda Golf and Ladies Union, current and past club presidents across the country, diplomats, business leaders, to some champion golfers.

 Serena's tournament partners are Johnnie Walker, Barclays, DSTV, PEPSI, AfriSafe, Victoria Motors.
The 18th hole at the par 72 Kigo golf course.

A history of Serena Golf Resort & Spa

Lake Victoria Serena Golf Resort & Spa, located to the south of Kampala in Uganda, just recently completed a second nine holes on its golf course designed by Kevin Ramsey of Golfplan, reports golfcoursearchitecture.net.

The resort began working with Golfplan in 2008, with construction of the first nine holes beginning at the end of 2009. Work on the second nine began in 2016 and will officially be opened at this inaugural Serena Johnnie Walker Golf Open Championship.

“The holes that were completed in the first phase were a mix of front and back nine holes,” said Ramsey in an interview with golfcoursearchitecture.net



He told golfcoursearchitecture.net that “There is no difference in style, we are just pushing on to the far end of the site. The key feature of the entire site is the proximity and view to Lake Victoria. Visible on all holes and in play on three including both finishing holes."

Ramsey, who will be one of several guests at the launch on Saturday, says the course is a unique gem.

“This is a very unique one-of-a-kind golf facility in the sense that access to the marina is between the ninth and eighteenth holes. I can’t think of anywhere in the world where I have seen anything like this. The course is very natural in its feel and meanders through the site and down to the papyrus groves on the lake."

According to golfcoursearchitecture.net , the resort is owned and has been developed by Kenyan-based contracting company Cementers, and of its CEO, Kartick Halai.

“The Lake Victoria Serena golf course is one of the most beautiful courses in the region, we could not be prouder to have it on our property and simply cannot wait to be positioned as the best golf and spa resort in Africa,” Anthony Chege, general manager of Serena Hotels Uganda, told golfcoursearchitecture.net

“There really is nothing like it. Serene and peaceful,” concluded Ramsey.

 ********


OCHAYA MARTIN 79 76 76 234
KAMULINDWA DAVID 79 77 77 234
AINAMANI ABRAHAM 77 80 75 232
KATO DAVIS 76 78 78 231
MUHUMUZA ADOLF 80 77 77 228
WANZALA FRED 72 76 76 225
MUTAWE HERMAN 75 77 77 225
KASOZI PHILLIP 75 77 77 222

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