Chinoi, Indiza to challenge Rugumayo & co.

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 Djezou from Ivory Coast, Lucky Soko Soko Ayisah from Ghana, Andrew Oche Odoh of Nigeria and Zambia’s Dezzie Ngandu.

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 win it in 2014. Since then, no Ugandan has lifted the trophy. Entebbe’s Vincent Byamukama had prevailed in 2013.