On Saturday, Gloria Nanyonga was declared the winner of the second quarter of the I&M Bank-sponsored Serena 63 Golf Series.
The announcement was made at the 19th hole of the 3rd quarter of the series, held at the scenic Lake Victoria Serena Golf Resort and Spa, Kigo’s lakeside clubhouse.
Nanyonga, playing off a handicap of 16, secured her victory with a total of 200 points, making history as the first lady golfer to win a quarterly outing in the prestigious series.
The ranking was determined by the top five scores of each player during the second quarter, and Nanyonga’s performance outshone her competitors.
Having only started playing golf two years ago, Nanyonga attributed her success to dedicated practice sessions and a focus on improving her short game.
“I have put in a lot of time to practice my swing on the range. I gained a lot of confidence from the practice and played very well throughout the second quarter. I am glad that my efforts have paid off, and I am extremely happy to be a winner in this prestigious series,” she said.
Nanyonga also expressed her determination to better her handicap in the coming weeks and to continue delivering strong results in the next quarter.
In an emotional gesture, Nanyonga dedicated her victory to David Plenderleith, the defending champion of the series and the winner of the first quarter.
“He introduced me to golf, and most recently, he has been my coach, so I gladly dedicate this win to him,” she noted.
Plenderleith himself finished as the first runner-up in the second quarter, scoring 196 points, while Henry Kibuuka secured third place with 190 points.
The quarter saw participation rise to 77 golfers, a testament to the growing popularity of the series.
The event, which was attended by the Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Thomas Tayebwa, also featured a subsidiary category. Top performers in this category included Jadu Patel (40 points), Sahil Halai (36 points), and Leena Halai (35 points).
In the main category on the final day, Philip Mutebi (39 points) and David Plenderleith (34 points) emerged as the top two members.
Guest winners included Brad Allen and Samson Agamire, who both scored 38 points.
In the side bets, Tiger Lee won the nearest-to-the-pin prize, while Sameer Noorandi claimed the longest drive prize.
Timothy Musiime, I&M Bank’s Chief Financial Officer, who represented CEO Robin Bairstow, reaffirmed the bank’s commitment to supporting golf in Uganda and the wider region.
“At I&M Bank, we are committed to partnering with the golfing fraternity. Golf embodies excellence, friendship, and commitment—values we align with and support here in Uganda and across the region,” Musiime said.
He also hinted at the excitement building up for the grand finale of the series, scheduled for November 30th.
The overall winners of the Serena 63 Series will be announced at the grand finale. To qualify for the main prizes, players must complete a minimum of 26 rounds of 18 holes each.
