Herman Deco Mutebi takes POA golf title in Entebbe

🟩 POA 1st round – UGC Kitante
1️⃣ Marvin Kibirige – 284 (playoff win)
2️⃣ Ronald Rugumayo – 284

🟩 POA 2nd round – Entebbe
1️⃣ Herman Deco Mutebi – 279
2️⃣ Rodell Gaita Tadeo – 281

🟩 POA 3rd round – Lugazi
1️⃣
2️⃣

Herman Deco Mutebi caps glorious four days with wire-to-wire Pearl of Africa Golf Series win in Entebbe

Entebbe, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT & UGU MEDIA | When Herman Deco Mutebi shot an opening round of 68 to assume leadership of the Pearl of Africa Golf Series in Entebbe, not many fancied him to last the distance. Deco, it was thought, would fold under the pressure from the famed pre-tournament favourites of professional golf in the country. On Saturday, however, he made critics eat humble pie.

The former caddie shot a closing round of one-under 70 to hold off a spirited fight from Rodell Gaita Tadeo to win the tournament. Deco finished with a five-under 279, two strokes better than Gaita. If there were doubts about Deco’s mental fortitude, he proved his doubters wrong by matching every punch Gaita hurled at him.

When Gaita birdied the seventh hole, Deco instantly responded with a birdie on the eighth. Both golfers played identical scores of 34 on the front, meaning that they started the back nine how they started the final round with Gaita trailing by two. On the tenth, Deco missed the green and failed to scramble but Gaita saved par to go within one stroke of the leader.

The eleventh would prove somewhat pivotal; Gaita three-putted from within 10-feet while Deco got par. While it crushed Gaita, he responded with a crisp chip-in on the par-3 twelfth. Deco yet again showed his new-found maturity by holing a birdie that kept him at arm’s length from his opponent.

Both birdied the thirteenth before Gaita sank a long, downhill birdie on the next hole to come within a stroke of Deco. Gaita, however, missed a short birdie putt on the fifteenth while Deco nailed his to go two strokes up. A bogey by Gaita on the sixteenth left him three strokes down and seemingly out.

There was still the dreaded seventeenth to play, and that is where Gaita’s hopes ended. His second shot to attack the green saw his ball remain stuck in the tree and he dropped for a penalty before settling for a double-bogey. Deco, cautious at this point not to make any careless mistakes, also holed a double-bogey to get on the final tee with a three-stroke lead.

He played an easy par and despite a birdie from Gaita, the lead was unassailable. It was a richly deserved victory for a player who played the best golf over the four days and showcased maturity, composure, calmness and mental resilience. Deco took the lion’s share of the Shs20m kitty for the professionals.

Gaita finished second with Silver Opio, David Kamulindwa, Abraham Ainamani, Philip Kasozi and Davis Kato following in that order.

Earlier on Friday, Michael Tumusiime triumphed in the amateurs after holding off challenges from Elton Thembo and Samuel Bazaale.

Watashi Wa Star, Star Star Star ☺🥳💪🏿

Herman Deco Mutebi has swung his way to victory, having hit a 3.

He stands as the winner of the 2nd leg of the #POAGolfSeries #PearlOfAfricaGolfSeries. Congratulations are in the air. 🍾🏆

Powered by @AquafinaUganda @PepsiUganda pic.twitter.com/AIuQdVJ6pn

— POA Golf Series (@poagolfug) April 5, 2025

****

CLICK HERE to read THE PEARL OF AFRICA GOLF MAGAZINE

FINAL RESULTS

PRIZES

*****

RELATED STORY

Battle for Pearl of Africa glory brings back memories of Sadi Onito