Marvin Kibirige clinched his second professional title on Friday at the Kitante course, emerging victorious in the 2023 Absa Captain’s Bell tournament.
With a composed closing round of 3 over par 75, Kibirige finished with a total score of 138 strokes, triumphing by a margin of 4 strokes.
Reflecting on his performance, Kibirige admitted, “Despite struggling with my putter today and enduring a challenging course, I am delighted to have won this tournament. Although my goal was to shoot 4 under par, it didn’t quite materialize.”
Abraham Ainamani secured the second spot, carding a score of 2 under par 70 with 142 strokes. Adolf Muhumuza and David Kamulindwa tied with a level score of 145, while Silver Opio claimed fifth place with a 3 over par 146. Last year’s champion, Deo Akope, finished in a tied sixth position with 147 strokes.
Having turned professional just last year, Kibirige’s journey has seen its fair share of ups and downs, including a recent missed cut at the Zimbabwe Open on the Sunshine Tour.
Kibirige made his mark earlier by equalling the course record at Kitante, joining the esteemed company of Deo Akope and the Kenyan duo of Dismas Anyonyi Ndiza and Richard Ainley with his impressive 9 under par 63.
The tournament featured the participation of 30 members of the Uganda Professional Golfers Association, competing over 72 holes across two days. The event boasted a prize pool of 10 million.
Meanwhile, the main tournament for amateur golfers is set to commence this Saturday, attracting nearly 190 golfers. Organized by the club’s current captain, the event received generous support from Absa Bank of Uganda, contributing sponsorship of Shs133 million.