It is a dream for many successful amateur golfers to join the paid ranks of this game.
Artisans, caddies, and ordinary gross amateurs all desire to play professional golf at a given stage in life.
Reigning Uganda Ladies Amateur Golf Open champion Irene Nakalembe has finally attained this dream.
The decision to turn professional has been long overdue and by virtue of winning the most coveted championship there is in the country, Nakalembe was bound by law to cross over to the professional section of the game.
She thus boldly made the decision after consultation with the family, close associates, and personal coach, Vincent Byamukama, a professional golfer himself.
“I feel happy having joined the professional ranks. It is still work in progress,” Nakalembe revealed.
She is the third female Ugandan golfer to play in the professional category after Norah Mbabazi Kagongera and lately Flavia Namakula.
Nakalembe joins the Uganda Professional Golfers Association (UPGA) as the latest member having submitted his application papers at the start of the year.
The 7-time Entebbe Ladies open winner will straight away embark on business as the professional category of the Entebbe Ladies open comes knocking in March 2022.
Besides the Uganda Ladies Open, Nakalembe also won the Tanzania Ladies Open twice as well as the Ikoy Ladies Open in Nigeria on three successive fronts in 2019, 2020, and last year.
Domestically, she triumphed in a number of tournaments organized in Entebbe, Kampala, and Jinja.
She has also been the national team captain of the Uganda women’s golf team.
Irene Nakalembe Trophy Cabinet
- 2021 – Uganda Amateurs Golf Open
- 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 – Entebbe Ladies Open (7 successive titles)
- 2019, 2020, 2021 – Ikoy Nigeria Ladies Open (3 successive titles)
- 2021 – Tanzania Ladies Open
