DAY 2: Gaita and Deco clearly on a mission, Thembo and Tumusiime top amateurs

Deo Akope and Ronald Otile were two of the biggest names to miss the cut

Entebbe, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT & UGU MEDIA | Herman Deco Mutebi and Rodell Gaita Tadeo are playing like two men on a mission. They share halfway leadership of the Pearl of Africa Golf Series after their rounds of 69 and 68 respectively propelled them into a 36-hole lead of five-under 137 on Thursday. Deco birdied holes 11, 12 before turning on the screw with a glorious eagle on the short par-4 13^th. In the same stretch of holes, Gaita carded birdies.

Both Deco and Gaita started their rounds in slow fashion. Deco was two-over on the day through four after a double-bogey on the stroke index 1 no.4 while Gaita started his round with a bogey. “The fact is that I have told myself: ‘play to enjoy’,” Deco observed afterwards. “It is a mentality that is working for me and I want to carry it into the third day,” the soft-spoken Entebbe-based golfer added.

Gaita meanwhile wants to keep his head in the zone.

“I want to create more chances for myself,” he noted. “I want to keep calm and level-headed going into the third day” Chasing them will be the pair of David Kamulindwa and Abraham Ainamani who played identical rounds of 72. Kamulindwa is three shots off the pace while Ainamani is five. Bulhan Matovu, Silver Opio and Davis Kato are locked at six-strokes adrift.

However, Deo Akope and Ronald Otile were two of the biggest names to miss the cut yesterday. The mark was at +8 and the celebrated pair finished at +10 along with Peter Sendaula. Herman Mutawe, Emma Ogwang and Richard Baguma, all made it through, but only just. They attained the cut by finishing at +8.

In the gross amateurs, Friday’s final day promises to be a thrilling spectacle with Michael Tumusiime teeing in the final group with his protegee Elton Thembo and Samuel Bazaale. Tumusiime eagled the final hole to go a stroke behind Thembo who birdied it.

Joseph Reagan Akena is just three strokes off the lead and can’t be discounted by any means. Joseph Cwinya-ai meanwhile restored respect to his name with an impressive score of 68, which was the day’s best round in the amateurs. He had started with a 78 on Wednesday which effectively ended his hopes of emerging as champion of Entebbe POA leg. He can however thrust his name into the money brackets of the competition, and no one can doubt his ability to pull it off. The pros are playing for a Shs20m kitty while the amateurs will share Shs5m.

Sponsors of the Pearl of Africa Series include Home Bliss Fort Portal, Uganda Golf Union, NBS Sport, Aquafina, Vivo Energy, MTN, Entebbe Golf Club and Mighty Rides. The third and final Pearl of Africa Golf series leg of the year will be held in Lugazi in July.

On Saturday, there will be a subsidiary round for men and women at the par-71 golf club.

Herman ‘Deco’ Mutebi with a swing of a star 🥳🏌🏾He & David Kamulindwa shoot impressive rounds of three-under 68 & assumed leadership in the #PearlOfAfricaGolfSeries #POAGolfSeries tournament @EntebbeClub1901 yesterday. He’s shining today. Powered by @AquafinaUganda @PepsiUganda pic.twitter.com/QrDygI9u5g

— POA Golf Series (@poagolfug) April 3, 2025

LEADERBOARD THURDAY

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FRIDAY DRAW