Rwandan star closes gap on Uganda’s Rugumayo at Golf Open

🔴 LEADERBOARD Uganda Golf ⛳ Pro Open

✳ Rugumayo 🇺🇬 67 69 (-8)
✳ Nsanzuwera 🇷🇼 69 68 (-7)
✳ Kamulindwa 🇺🇬 69 69 (-6)
✳ Paulino Kasoma 🇳🇦 70 69 (-5)
✳ Kibugu 🇰🇪 70 69 (-5)
✳ Indiza 🇰🇪 72 67 (-5)

Kampala, Uganda | PHILLIP CORRY | All signs are that the battle for the professional title at the 2023 Johnnie Walker Uganda Golf Open will go to the wire. Despite another fine round of golf by Uganda’s Ronald Rugumayo, he will only be able to carry a 1 shot lead into day 3 Friday.

Rugumayo returned with a 3 under par 69 to maintain his lead with a total of 136, but Rwanda’s Celestin Nsanzuwera returned to the club house with a 4 under par 68 to ensure a tense final two days for the fans at the Uganda Golf Club at Kitante. No Ugandan has won the Pro title since Deo Akope in 2014.

Nsanzuwera sounded confident after today’s round of golf, promising more.

“Today’s round was great. I just kept my putting intact for most of the time and I am looking forward to the same strategy going into tomorrow’s round,” the Kigali Golf Club player said Thursday.

The tournament was affected at noon with the rain halting play on both sides of the tees. “My putting was fine on the day even after the rain, you just have to keep the ball on the fairway,” he said.

Only 34 golfers made the cut, with several  top guns like Ronald Otile falling out of the money prize race. Only 11 Ugandans have made the cut.

The winner of the Uganda Pro Golf Open Championship will walk away with sh21 million out of the 100 million prize kitty. The top 30 will share the package and earn points for the Safari Tour.

Uganda’s David Kamulindwa is lying third after a score of 3 under par 69, 138 which is 7 under par going into third round. Paulino Kasoma from Namibia, Njoroge Kibuku and Dismas Anyonyi Ndiza from Kenya are tied for fourth with 5 under par 139.

This year’s edition has attracted professional golfers from Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Uganda, Nigeria, South Africa, Malawi.

The flagship sponsor of the tournament is Johnnie Walker. Co sponsors are Absa Bank Uganda, Pinnacle Security Limited, Crown Beverages, HK Properties, Medisell, Case Medical Services, NCS, HTC Hub, Royal and Ancient

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✳ Winners of Pro Open since 2006
2006 – Deo Akope (Uganda)
2007 – Dismas Ndiza (Kenya)
2008 – Dismas Ndiza (Kenya)
2009 – Richard Ainley (Kenya)
2010 – Dismus Ndiza (Kenya)
2011 – Dismus Ndiza (Kenya)
2012 – Dismus Ndiza (Kenya)
2013 – Vicent Byamukama (Uganda)
2014 – Deo Akope (Uganda)
2015 – Madalisto Muthiya (Zambia)
2016 – Joshua Seale (South Africa)
2017 – Stephen Ferriera (Portugal)
2018 – Dismas Indiza (Kenya)
2019 – Madalisto Muthiya (Zambia)
2020 – Robson Chinhoi (Zimbabwe)
2021 – Jastas Madoya (Kenya)
2022 – Robson Chinoi
2023 – ????

Day 3 draw