Ronald Rugumayo has been waiting for this moment. Last year, he came agonisingly close to winning the 2024 Johnnie Walker Uganda Professionals Open title. A four-putt on the par-3 ninth effectively ended his Championship hopes at Uganda Golf Club. He would later finish joint-second.
The Rugumayo of today is a different breed. He is more experienced, mature and more confident. Making the Cut at the Kenya Magical Open has emboldened him as a golfer. He knows Entebbe Golf course inside-out and will tee off on Wednesday as one of the favourites. But standing in his way will be Robson Chinhoi, the Zimbabwean who has won the tournament twice in Uganda before, and the record champion Dismas Indiza Anyonyi from Kenya.
On Tuesday the professionals will take part in the ABSA Bank Pro-Am where the top 10 amateurs stand to win an all-expenses paid trip to the 2025 Kenya Magical Open. ABSA will also pay the full expenses for the Uganda professional golfers who qualify to compete at the Magical Open.
But while Rugumayo, Chinhoi and Indiza will tee off as favourites, you can’t underestimate the chances of Zambia’s Muthiya Madalitso, Kenya’s Mike Kisia, Zimbabwe’s Visitor Mapwanya and home boy David Kamulindwa. The Uganda Open is the first leg of the Safari Tour and beyond the Shs150m kitty, golfers will be seeking to garner points for the order of merit. Some of the other professionals in Entebbe are Kouassi Jean-Romaric from Ivory Coast, Lucky Soko Soko Ayisah from Ghana, Andrew Oche Odoh of Nigeria and Zambia’s Denzyl Daga.
With seven triumphs, Indiza is the most successful golfer in the history of the Uganda Professionals Golf Open. He won it in 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2018 and 2023. Uganda’s last champion in the tournament was Deo Akope who won it in 2014. Since then, no Ugandan has lifted the trophy. Entebbe’s Vincent Byamukama had prevailed in 2013.
The 83rd edition of the Uganda Open has also been supported by Hisense, MTN, NBS, Pinnacle Security Limited, Pepsi & Aquafina, NCS, ABSA Bank, Case Medical Services HH Solution and Medisell.
UGU COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT
News Article:
Rugumayo Eyes Redemption at 2024 Uganda Professionals Open
Ronald Rugumayo is set to tee off at the 2024 Johnnie Walker Uganda Professionals Open with more determination than ever before. The talented Ugandan golfer, who came agonizingly close to clinching the title last year, is eager to turn the page on his near-miss and write a new chapter of success at the prestigious tournament.
In 2023, Rugumayo’s championship hopes were dashed by a four-putt on the par-3 ninth at the Uganda Golf Club, a moment that still lingers in his mind. Despite this setback, he showed resilience by finishing joint-second, a testament to his skill and potential. This year, however, Rugumayo returns to the course as a more experienced and confident player, emboldened by his recent success at the Kenya Magical Open where he made the cut.
Rugumayo’s familiarity with the Entebbe Golf Course is another advantage that could work in his favor. Known for its challenging layout, the course will demand precision and mental toughness—qualities that Rugumayo has honed over the past year. As he prepares to tee off on Wednesday, he is widely regarded as one of the favorites to contend for the title.
However, Rugumayo’s path to victory will not be easy. He will face stiff competition from Zimbabwe’s Robson Chinhoi, a two-time winner of the tournament in Uganda, and Kenya’s Dismas Indiza Anyonyi, the record champion with seven titles to his name, including the 2023 edition. These seasoned competitors will undoubtedly test Rugumayo’s mettle as he seeks to end Uganda’s decade-long drought in the tournament.
The 83rd edition of the Uganda Open, which kicks off with the ABSA Bank Pro-Am on Tuesday, promises to be a thrilling contest. The top 10 amateurs will have a chance to win an all-expenses-paid trip to the 2025 Kenya Magical Open, while ABSA will also cover the expenses for the Ugandan professionals who qualify to compete at the event.
As the first leg of the Safari Tour, the Uganda Open offers not just a share of the Shs150m prize kitty but also valuable points for the order of merit. Rugumayo will need to bring his A-game to fend off other strong contenders such as Zambia’s Muthiya Madalitso, Kenya’s Mike Kisia, Zimbabwe’s Visitor Mapwanya, and Uganda’s own David Kamulindwa.
The stakes are high, and so is the anticipation. Rugumayo is not just playing for personal redemption; he is also vying to become the first Ugandan to lift the trophy since 2014, when Deo Akope triumphed.
