Uganda’s Deo Akope shot three under par, his second in two days, to tie with Thika Sports Club’s Simon Ngige on two under par total, going into the final round of the 2021/22 Safari Tour golf series at the par 71 Nyali Golf and Country Club course on Tuesday.
Starting with an eagle three at the par-five first hole, Akope, a resident pro at Uganda Golf Club in Kampala, later pushed his driver to the right at the par-five fifth hole, came out well but overshot the green, to drop his only shot of the day which he, however, managed to recover at the dog‐leg‐left eighth hole.
He then parred the first eight holes at the back nine until at the home green where he picked up a two‐club for the day’s 68 for a two rounds total of 211.
“I am happy with my score even though I had a chance of going low but I did not want to be too aggressive as I know this course very well having played here many times," said Akope.
“If I win, that will be most welcome since I will be the first Ugandan to win a Safari Tour event, but I am not going to aggressively look for that."
On the other hand, Ngige hopes to go lower in the final round, though his plan, like Akope, is to try and minimise further damage.
“I was able to make birdie on the par fives because I was trying to make sure that I remain on course in every hole and that helped me to save pars on the long hole," he said.
Ngige said he will embark on preparation for Uganda, now that the fifth leg at Leisure Lodge has been canceled.
He dropped a shot at the uphill par three‐sixth but recovered a shot at the eighth and made two birdies on the back nine, but with a bogey in between.
“I really think of what club to pick at the sixth, as I have tried eight and even seven but I don’t seem to get on to the green and that has been my undoing," said Ngige, who finished on one-under-par 70 and a total of two-under par 211.
