2024-01-08 09:39:38
Godfrey Nsubuga is quite ambitious. Last year, he was gifted with a golf clinic in South Africa which immensely purified his strokes.
Three months later, Nsubuga stood at the podium with the most coveted prize – the Uganda Amateur Golf title – after conquering the 82nd edition by four shots with a championship record of 13-under par at Uganda Golf Club (UGC) last October.
After a very beautiful 2023, Nsubuga accepted his golf scholarship and he will on Wednesday fly to Winston Salem State University in North Carolina, USA.
“I earned it because of my general performance over the years,” Nsubuga said after he played a round at UGC on Saturday afternoon.
He landed the lucrative offer which comprises tuition and accommodation to study a computer science degree about two years ago.
But he could not take it yet. “Earlier, I wanted to first win the Uganda Open. I have got a ranking globally. I have met my targets here and now, I would like to try somewhere else. It is also a chance to continue with my studies as I play golf,” he told this paper.
He is not chest-thumping though. Nsubuga owes a lot to his friends Titus Okwong and Edrine Okong. The pair is among the sextet dubbed ‘Fab Six’ who are Ugandan amateur golfers who have since earned scholarships in the North Carolina State.
Okwong opened the route in 2016 and he has since been followed by Daniel Baguma, Colins Ajidra, Ronald Otile, Okong and Joel Basalaine to Livingstone College in Salisbury.
“My friends Okong and Okwong really helped me a lot to secure this. I thank my family and the golfing fraternity which has always collected money for me to go for tournaments abroad. Mehta Group has been supporting me in the school and golf processes,” Nsubuga explained.
Nsubuga anticipates a fundamental change of life. “I am looking forward to continuing with my school, and playing golf; it’s going to be competitive, looking forward to learning more,” he added.
Last year, Nsubuga competed in a total of 20 events across East Africa; he also won the Entebbe Amateur Open, the Tea Fields Trophy and Nyali Open in Kenya, and the Tanzania Open.
By making 16 top-10 finishes with with eight being second-place finishes at the Kiambu Open, Kabete Open, Nyanza Open Hippo Pot, Coast Open Barry Cup, Limuru Open, Goldfields Trophy, Transnzoia Championship and Windsor Classic events all in Kenya, Nsubuga is ranked 223rd globally by the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR).
WAGR is run by R&A (The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews) and the USGA (United States Golf Association). Nsubuga travels to the USA rated as Africa’s fourth best amateur golfer.
Date of birth: August 24, 2000
Club: Lugazi Mehta Club & Uganda Golf Club (UGC)
Best Score: 65 (7-under) at UGC
National team debut: 2019
Best Golf course in Uganda: Mehta
Best course in the world: Mont Choisy – Mauritius
Favorite golfer (Uganda): Ronald Rugumayo
Favorite golfer: Collin Morikawa
Favorite food: Rice and meat
Current phone: Samsung S10 Plus
Favorite holiday destination: Mombasa, Kenya
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