The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
T1 🇳🇬 Sunday Olapade 72 67 139
T1 🇺🇬 Ronald Rugumayo 69 70 139
3  🇺🇬 Phillip Kasozi 71 69 140
T4 🇰🇪 Dismas Indiza 72 69 141
T4 🇺🇬 Samuel Kato 71 70 141
T6 🇹🇿 Nuru Mollel 71 71 142
T6 🇺🇬 Rodell Gaita 70 72 142
Kampala, Uganda | UGU MEDIA |Â It is not often that two hole-in-ones are witnessed on the same day of a major tournament.
But on Thursday, it happened at Uganda Golf Club in the morning and early afternoon. Henry Lujja is hardly considered an elite professional in the country, but he struck a peach of a shot on the short par 3 fourth on his way to a decent level par round. But that morning’s ace wasn’t enough to make him survive the cut in the ongoing Johnnie Walker Uganda Golf Pro Open.
On the 17th hole, 2024 champion Dayne Moore matched Lujja’s feat with what was arguably a more exquisite shot. Having dropped two shots on Wednesday on the same hole, Moore exorcised his demons by attacking the tricky pin at the far end of the green to soothe his nerves for the cut. Up until then, he was sitting borderline.
At the top of the leaderboard, it is a two-way tie after Nigeria’s Sunday Olapade shot a 67 to go level with Ronald Rugumayo on five-under for the Championship. Olapade started the round with an incredible back-to-back eagles and didn’t look back. Despite bogeys on the 14th and 16th, Olapade’s strategy to ditch the driver for the three-wood paid dividends. It allowed him to control his game better and press his claims for the ultimate prize.
Rugumayo, meanwhile, will be feeling sore after another wobbly back nine.
After crossing at four-under for the day, Rugumayo extended his lead with a fine eagle on the 13th but double bogeys on the 15th and 18th allowed Olapade a share of the lead. Rugumayo is three-over on the 18th in the first two days and will wish for better luck on Friday and Saturday.
Rugumayo missed the fairway on the last hole, duffed the second shot and then chipped uncharacteristically poorly before three-putting. One shot behind Olapade and Rugumayo is Philip Kasozi, whose 69 thrusts him into the thick of things. Record Uganda Open winner Dismas Indiza is two shots off the pace after a 69. The veteran Kenyan is in contention.
The most agonizing missed cut was suffered by Herman Mutaawe. An inexplicable triple bogey on the final hole shut him out of the Open and opened the door for Nigeria’s Andrew Odoh and Abbey Bagalana to sneak into Friday’s round by a whisker.
Other sponsors of the Uganda Golf Open are ABSA Bank, Aquafina, Medisell, Finaltus, Case Hospital, MTN, National Council of Sports, NBS, Pearl Marina, Rosefoam, Uganda Airlines, Uganda Tourism Board, Uganda Golf Club, Total Energies and R&A.
SOURCE | UGU MEDIA
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