‎Kasango sets early pace in Pearl of Africa Golf Series, Cwinya-ai stretches amateur lead

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‎Grace Kasango delivered a commanding opening round performance to take a three-stroke lead in the professionals’ category at the Pearl of Africa (POA) Golf Series at Entebbe Club.
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‎The soft-spoken golfer, known among peers for letting his game do the talking, lived up to that reputation with a four-under-par 67 on the par-71 course.
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Kasango got off to a flying start, carding birdies on the opening two holes. Although he dropped a shot on the fifth, he quickly recovered with a birdie on the ninth. A brilliant run of three consecutive birdies on holes 11, 12, and 13 created clear separation from the chasing pack, before a bogey on the 16th slightly trimmed his advantage.
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‎Despite the strong showing, the leaderboard remains competitive. Ronald Rugumayo sits three shots back after posting a one-under 70. The South Africa-based professional appeared on course for a better round before a costly double bogey on the 16th disrupted his momentum.
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‎Rugumayo will not be alone in the chase, with Davis Kato also firmly in contention after returning a level-par 71. Joining him on the same score are Rodell Gaita Taddeo, Vincent Araali Byamukama, and David Kamulindwa, while Marvin Max Kibirige and Philip Kasozi are tied on 73.
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‎In the amateur ranks, Joseph Cwinya-ai has taken near-total control of the competition. The Tooro-born golfer opened with rounds of 68 and 67, establishing a commanding eight-stroke lead heading into the final stretch.
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‎Cwinya-ai, who recently served a suspension from national team duties for unsportsmanlike conduct—an incident he acknowledged and apologised for—has responded emphatically on the course, producing some of his best golf in the series so far.
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‎Former Uganda Open champion Andrew Ssekibejja sits in second place, while Shaka Kariisa moved into the top three after a level-par 71 highlighted by an eagle on the final hole.
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‎The amateurs are competing for a Shs5 million prize fund, with the winner set to take home Shs1.5 million along with valuable World Amateur Golf Ranking points.
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‎This year’s Pearl of Africa Golf Series is supported by Exim Bank, the Uganda Golf Union (UGU), Vivo Energy, Aquafina, Home Bliss, and Case Medical Services.
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Saturday’s final round for professionals will also feature subsidiary contests, including longest drive and nearest-to-the-pin challenges for both men and ladies.