Home Favourite Rugumayo Tops Pros at JW Uganda Open

Ronald Rugumayo set the pace on day one of the Johnnie Walker Uganda Professionals Open Golf Championship at Lugazi Hills Golf and Country Club after carding a brilliant four-under 67 on Wednesday.

The Ugandan star, recently unveiled as Johnnie Walker’s newest brand influencer, teed off last but stormed to the top of the leaderboard with a composed round that included birdies on holes 1, 3, 7, 10, 11, 16 and 17. He only dropped three shots all day to claim the early bragging rights.

“I came to enjoy myself, but I had a game plan, which I stuck to. I’m really happy it paid off,” Rugumayo told the media after his round. “I think I could have done even better, but at the end of the day, you take the result you managed. I’m looking forward to the second round.”

Kenya’s seasoned campaigner and six-time Uganda Open champion, Dismas Indiza, trails Rugumayo by two strokes and is tied in second place with compatriot Mohit Mediratta.

Ugandan amateur Anthony Otukei impressed with a one-under 71, finishing the day tied for fourth alongside Kenya’s Greg Snow.

Three more Ugandans—Abraham Ainamani, Rodell Gaita, and Joshua Seale—are tied for sixth at level par, joined by 2019 amateur winner Daniel Nduva of Kenya, Nigeria’s Andrew Odoh, and Zimbabwe’s Robson Chinhoi, a two-time professionals’ champion.

The event has also drawn two lady professionals—Flavia Namakula and Irene Nakalembe—both former champions of the ladies’ category at the Open.

The championship continues today, with only the top 30 players (including ties) progressing to the final two rounds. Professionals are competing for a total purse of Shs150 million, to be shared according to performance.

The 2025 Johnnie Walker Uganda Open Golf Championship is sponsored by Absa Bank Uganda, Aquafina, Isuzu Mac East Africa, Uganda Tourism Board, Medisell Uganda, NBS Sport, and MTN MoMo.