The 82nd edition of Uganda’s prestigious golf tournament, the Johnnie Walker Uganda Golf Championship, was officially launched today. The event will take place from October 10th to 28th at the Uganda Golf Club in Kampala.
This year’s tournament will maintain its traditional format, spanning three weeks of golf action, entertainment, and celebrations both on and off the golf course.
During the launch event, Christine Kyokunda, the Brand Manager for Scotch and Reserve, expressed excitement about the tournament, saying, “We promise the golfers a great experience during this year’s Open. We are super excited to have the Johnnie Walker Uganda Golf Open with positive strides in the right direction.”
The launch was attended by executives from the Uganda Golf Union, Uganda Ladies Golf Union, club leaders, and various sponsors.
Uganda Breweries Limited has contributed a total of sh410 million to the tournament, with sh100 million designated as the prize fund for professional golfers. Absa Bank Uganda has also provided sh200 million, with sh70 million allocated for the Pro-Am event and sponsorship for 10 golfers to participate in the Magical Kenya Open. HTC Hub will reward hole-in-1 achievements on Par 3 holes throughout the tournament with brand new smartphones.
The tournament will commence with the Junior Open on October 10th, followed by the Ladies Open from October 12th to 14th, and the Seniors Open from October 13th to 14th. The Amateurs will compete from October 18th to 21st, the Pro-Am event will take place on October 24th, and the Pros Open will be held from October 25th to 28th.
Hosting captain Emmanuel Wamala assured participants of a great tournament, stating, “I welcome you to Uganda Golf Club and I want to thank the Uganda Golf Union for having chosen us as the hosts. There have been a lot of preparations made to present a course in perfect condition. We are offering free practice rounds for all the golfers that will participate in the Open, including the Juniors.”
The reigning champions include Martha Babirye in the Ladies category, Andrew Sekibejja in the Amateur Men’s Open, John Muchiri in the Senior Men’s Open, and Zimbabwe’s Robson Chinoi in the Pro Open category.
