John Musiiimenta and Michael Tumusiime have been officially ranked on the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) following their standout performances in the Pearl of Africa (POA) Golf Series amateur tournaments.
Musiiimenta, a university student, clinched victory at the POA Golf Series opener held at Uganda Golf Club in February, edging Jinja’s Sande Lulet by four strokes. His win not only earned him Shs1.7 million and the title of the first POA amateur champion in history but also secured him a global ranking of 4819th on the WAGR.
“This makes playing tournaments meaningful nowadays,” Musiiimenta said. “It’s an opportunity to see how my golf stands globally. This year, I want to enter the top 10 highest-ranked golfers in Uganda.”
Though Musiiimenta missed last week’s Entebbe POA event due to academic commitments, he hinted at a possible return for the next edition in Lugazi in July, depending on his schedule.
Michael Tumusiime, winner of the Entebbe POA leg, also celebrated his newly earned WAGR status. The soft-spoken golfer, who once excelled in football during his school days at Ntare, currently works as a Principal Air Transport Officer at the Civil Aviation Authority. He is now ranked 4640th globally.
“To be considered elite at amateur level, one needs to have a world amateur golf ranking which can only be achieved based on performances. So, this gives me satisfaction that my hard work has finally paid off,” said Tumusiime.
With eyes set on future success, Tumusiime emphasized the need for preparation both mentally and physically: “I have targets in mind but it’s never advisable to think too far ahead.”
Both golfers have confirmed their participation in the next POA series leg in Lugazi in July, which will serve as a dry run for the upcoming Uganda Open. It will mark the first time the prestigious national tournament is held at the par-71 Lugazi course.
The Uganda Golf Union is expected to closely monitor the POA events in the build-up to the Uganda Open, with players in both the amateur and professional categories likely to be housed in nearby hotels to avoid travel disruptions along the busy Kampala–Jinja highway.
