Golf: All eyes on Rugumayo as Pros tee off at Kitante 

The final bend of the 2023 Uganda Golf Open gets underway at the par-72 Uganda Golf Club at Kitante with professional golfers from several countries on the draw to compete for the Shs 100m kitty at stake.

The event, which traditionally serves as the opening tournament of the lucrative Safari Tour Golf series whose cumulative scoring earns points to the world-acclaimed Kenya Magical Open, has attracted golfers from South Africa, Kenya, Zambia, Malawi, Zimbabwe and Cameroon.

Uganda’s charge will be led by South Africa-based Ronald Rugumayo, who is desperate to improve on his second-place finish from last year when the Open was hosted at Lake Victoria Serena Golf Resort & Spa.

Rugumayo has camped in South Africa, a renowned hub of the game globally, Ugandan golf enthusiasts are itching to see the transformation of his game over the last 365 days. He has been the country’s outstanding professional in recent years, and competed at Muthaiga last year in the Magical Open.

Yet he must hold off a strong field that includes talented Kenyan golfers like Greg Snow, Samuel Njoroge, Edwin Mudanyi and Dismas Indiza Anyonyi. Snow played nine holes on Monday morning and was impressed with the greens.

“The are holding so well,” he told The Observer. “You can attack the pins because they are in fantastic shape; we just have to hope that the skies do not open.”

Defending champion Robson Chinhoi has, meanwhile, opted out. The Zimbabwean, who won the title in 2020 at UGC and 2022 at Lake Victoria Serena Golf Resort & Spa, is busy on the Sunshine Tour. The absence of Chinhoi means that the Open is too close to call.

Besides Rugumayo, Uganda’s hopes will lie in Deo Akope, whose experience at the highest level is well-documented, Denis Anguyo who is fresh from a hiatus in Canada, Rodell Gaita, Philip Kasozi, Abraham Ainamani and David Kamulindwa.

US-based Ronald Otile has also flown in to have a go at the tournament he famously won, as an amateur in 2015. That year, Otile won both the Amateurs and Professionals title but missed out on the kitty because he hadn’t yet turned professional.

The weather has generally been favourable over the last two weeks and golfers will be hoping that the sunshine that was enjoyed by amateurs last week happens for the next four days.