Rugumayo finally climbs Uganda’s Golf Everest after putting masterclass at UGC; First Ugandan winner since 2014 Kampala, Uganda | UGU MEDIA | Cometh the hour, cometh the man. When the chips were down, up stepped the son of Toro. With the kingdom grieving after the passing of their king and now subsequently awaiting … The post Rugumayo finally breaks jinx at Johnnie Walker Uganda Golf Open appeared first on The Independent Uganda: .
Ronald Rugumayo wins his first Johnnie Walker Uganda Pro Open with a score of 5 under par 279. He becomes the first Ugandan professional golfer to win this event in 15 years. COURTESY PHOTOS by Mark Nahabwe
Rugumayo finally climbs Uganda’s Golf Everest after putting masterclass at UGC; First Ugandan winner since 2014
Kampala, Uganda | UGU MEDIA | Cometh the hour, cometh the man. When the chips were down, up stepped the son of Toro. With the kingdom grieving after the passing of their king and now subsequently awaiting the coronation of his replacement, a new champion, was crowned at Kitante after Ronald Rugumayo won the Johnnie Walker Uganda Golf Professionals Open. A difficult week for Toro has ended with some with good news.
For so many years, Rugumayo had come close. Asked on Tuesday how he felt ahead of the Open, he responded with two words. “I am hungry.” He had been knocking on the door in recent Uganda Opens, only to falter towards the end.
This time round, he held his nerve to become the first Ugandan winner since Deo Akope in 2014. But it wasn’t as easy as he made it seem.
Playing alongside Dismas Indiza and Philip Kasozi in the second-to-last group, Rugumayo started slowly. He was one-over after the second hole before he improved his card with red scores on holes three, four and five. A huge save on the sixth for par maintained his momentum and he came close to a birdie on the seventh.
But the turning point of the round came on the eighth where everything that could possibly happen happened. Rugumayo’s tee shot went right with no one sure where it was. He then went out-of-bounds with his provisional before playing another ball down the fairway.
After a search, his first ball was found in bounds, but it took some considerable time. Indiza, who also went out-of-bounds, took some time as he sought relief from a mound of soil. The latter shot a seven, but Rugumayo, who later sought relief for his third shot that was resting on stones on a pathway, miraculously chipped in for a birdie that gave him all the momentum he desperately needed. He scorched the back nine with some huge plays, including monster birdies on 15 and 17 that broke the field.
“I have waited for so long for this,” a relieved Mayo noted afterwards.
“I want to thank the entire team of friends who have supported me in this journey. This victory is theirs too.”
Rugumayo, who shot a 66, finished four strokes better than Nigeria’s Godwin Okoko, the day three leader. The top six positions were occupied by seven countries. In third was Kenya’s Greg Snow with Tanzania’s Nuru Mollel and Rwanda’s Celestine Nsanzuwera taking fourth and fifth. There was a three-way tie for sixth. They were Zambian amateur Dominic Musonda, Robson Chinhoi (Zimbabwe) and Dayne Moore (Zambia).
All hail the new king of the Uganda Professional Golf Open. Ronald Rwabogo Rugumayo.
** Winners of Pro Open since 2006**
2006 – Deo Akope (Uganda)
2007 – Dismas Indiza (Kenya)
2008 – Dismas Indiza(Kenya)
2009 – Richard Ainley (Kenya)
2010 – Dismas Indiza (Kenya)
2011 – Dismas Indiza (Kenya)
2012 – Dismas Indiza (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 (Zimbabwe)
2023 – Dismus Ndiza (Kenya)
2024 – Dayne Moore (Zambia)
2025 – Celestine Nsanzuwera (Rwanda)
2025 – Ronald Rugumayo (Uganda)
2026 leader board
POSITION
PLAYER
COUNTRY
R1
R2
R3
R4
GROSS
TTP
1 RONALD RUGUMAYO UG
69
70
74
66
279
-9
2 GODWIN OKOKO NG 76
68
67
72
283
-5
3 GREG SNOW KE 75
71
68
70
284
-4
4 NURU MOLLEL TZ
71
71
72
71
285
-3
5 CELESTIN NSANZUWERA RW 72 72 74
68
286
-2
T6 DOMINIC MUSONDA (AM) ZM 75
70
72
70
287
-1
T6 ROBSON CHINHOI ZW 76
69
71
71
287
-1
T6 DAYNE MOORE ZM 76
70
68
73
287
-1
T9 WILLY DEUS UG
71
75 75
67
288 E T9 SUNDAY OLAPADE NG 72
67
77 72 288 E T9 DAVID KAMULINDWA UG 74
71
70
73 288 E T9 DISMAS INDIZA KE 72
69
72 75 288 E T13 ABRAHAM AINAMANI UG 73 76 72
68
289 +1 T13 VINCENT TORGAH GH
71
76 73
69
289 +1 T13 GRACE KASANGO UG 77
71
68
73 289 +1 T13 SAMUEL NJOROGE KE 72
71
70
76 289 +1 T17 EDWIN MUDANYI KE 75 72 74
69
290 +2 T17 DENNIS ANGUYO UG 72 72
71
75 290 +2 T17 PAUL CHIDALE MW 72 72
69
77 290 +2 20 DEO AKOPE UG
71
73 75 72 291 +3 T21 GILBERT CHALWE (AM) ZM 73 73 77
69
292 +4 T21 SAMUEL KATO UG
71
70
77 74 292 +4 T21 PHILLIP KASOZI UG
71
69
73 79 292 +4 24 FON PRISTHY CM
70
76
69
78 293 +5 25 LUCKY AYISAH GH 77
70
76
71
294 +6 T26 KOJO BARNNI GH 76
70
76 73 295 +7 T26 ANDREW ODOH NG 76 73 72 74 295 +7 T26 HUSSEIN BAGALANA UG
71
75 75 74 295 +7 T29 ABBEY BAGALANA UG 75 74 82
67
298 +10 T29 DAVIS KATO UG
71
76 79 72 298 +10 Share on:
The post Rugumayo finally breaks jinx at Johnnie Walker Uganda Golf Open appeared first on The Independent Uganda:.
