Overview:
It is becoming rather tense prior to the final round that will make a total of 72 holes by close of business on Saturday, 21st October 2023.
82nd Johnnie Walker Uganda Amateur Golf Open:
Top Four (After 54 Holes):
- Godfrey Nsubuga: 65, 69, 72 (206) -10
- Ibrahim Bagalana: 70, 70, 69 (209) -7
- Joseph Cwinya-ai: 73, 71, 68 (212) -4
- Michael Tumusiime: 74, 72, 73 (219) +3
Fifty holes have been so far played at the ongoing 82nd Johnnie Uganda Amateur Open Golf Championship at the par-72 Uganda Golf Club – Kitante in Kampala.
It is becoming rather tense prior to the final round which will make a total of 72 holes by close of business on Saturday, 21st October 2023.
At this point, it is too early to predict the winner as the final 18 holes will determine a great deal.
Mehta Golf Club-bred prodigal Godfrey Nsubuga still maintains the lead after the opening three rounds with a -10 (206 gross score) from 54 holes.
Nsubuga led the first 36 holes with a 6-stroke difference, but he is now three strokes ahead of Uganda Golf Club’s Ibrahim Bagalana (209).
“I must admit I had a rough round on Friday. The level score still keeps me safe on the leaderboard and I will try to polish the mistakes I made during round three,” Nsubuga who returned level par-72 on Friday disclosed.
Bagalana played 3-under 69 during round three and remains optimistic.
“I thank Allah for the performance. As I said, I want to keep improving as we go to the final round,” Bagalana noted.
Joseph Cwinya-ai, a member of Tooro Golf Club and the winner of this open in 2021, is 6 strokes off the leader with 212 total gross.
Cwinya-ai posted round three’s best score of 4-under 68 to close up the gap to 6 strokes within the leader’s reach.
“It was a perfect round. I thank the playing mates and the gallery for the sportsmanship spirit. Round four is the determinant. We shall all go for it,” Cwinya-ai stated.
Playing in his second successive pressure group at the open, Michael Tumusiime is +3 (219) and finds himself sandwiched among the on-fire boys.
“The boys (Nsubuga, Bagalana and Cwinya-ai) are on form. I am chasing and who knows what can happen on the final day,” Tumusiime noted.
Tumusiime was second last year to the winner Andrew Ssekibejja.
Day four will climax the 82nd edition of the Open. The pressure group remains unchanged and the gallery will enjoy every shot from each of the four golfers.
Johnnie Walker is the headline sponsor of the Uganda Open series that has already had the Ladies and Seniors events.
Next week, the focus will switch to the Pro-Am and main professional open where the total kitty is Ugx 100,000,000.
Cast of winners since 1932:
Amateur Category:
- 1932 – H.Davidson (Uganda Golf Club)
- 1933 – H.Davidson (Uganda Golf Club)
- 1934 – R.W Hooker (Muthaiga Golf Club)
- 1935 – J.D Rankine (Uganda Golf Club)
- 1936 – J.D Rankine (Uganda Golf Clun)
- 1937 – H. Davidson (Uganda Golf Club)
- 1938 – R.W Bun (Mombasa Golf Club)
- 1939 – J.E Higginson
- 1940 – 1947 – NOT HELD
- 1948 – D. F Stewart (Uganda Golf Club)
- 1949 – A.Q Roberts (Kitale Golf Club)
- 1950 – N.C Elwell (Uganda Golf Club)
- 1951 – N.C Elwell (Mwanza Golf Club)
- 1952 – J.R Cooke (Uganda Golf Club)
- 1953 – R.W Hooper (Nairobi Golf Club)
- 1954 – M.Johnson (Kabalae Golf Club)
- 1955 – J.R Oglive (Kitale Golf Club)
- 1956 – J.R Oglive (Kitale Golf Club)
- 1957 – Ian McAdam (Uganda Golf Club)
- 1958 – Brian Malone (Uganda Golf Club)
- 1959 – Ian McAdam (Uganda Golf Club)
- 1960 – Mike Johnson (Mbale Golf Club)
- 1961 – Mike Johnson (Mbale Golf Club)
- 1962 – Mike Johnson (Mbale Golf Club)
- 1963 – John Higginson (Uganda Golf Club)
- 1964 – John Higginson (Uganda Golf Club)
- 1965 – Muhammed Rajab (Nairobi Golf Club)
- 1966 – John Higginson (Uganda Golf Club)
- 1967 – I.Pattinson (Dar es Salaam Golf Club)
- 1968 – G.Burrows (Uganda Golf Club)
- 1969 – M.Rajab (Nairobi Golf Club)
- 1970 – M.Couma (Uganda Golf Club)
- 1971 – J. Kahugu (Sigona Golf Club)
- 1972 – Ben Okello (Masaka Golf Club)
- 1973 – Tom Taban (Uganda Golf Club)
- 1974 – Alex Okodan (Uganda Golf Club)
- 1975 – Ramathan Kayamba (Uganda Golf Club)
- 1976 – Sadi Onito (Jinja Golf Club)
- 1977 – Sadi Onito (Jinja Golf Club)
- 1978 – Sadi Onito (Jinja Golf Club)
- 1979 – 1980 – NOT HELD
- 1981 – Juma Jaffer (Uganda Golf Club)
- 1982 – Juma Jaffer (Uganda Golf Club)
- 1983 – Sadi Onito (Uganda Golf Club)
- 1984 – John Mucheru (Uganda Golf Club)
- 1985 – Sadi Onito (Jinja Golf Club)
- 1986 – Sadi Onito (Jinja Golf Club)
- 1987 – Sadi Onito (Jinja Golf Club)
- 1988 – Sadi Onito (Jinja Golf Club)
- 1989 – Allan Njoroge (Muthaiga Golf Club)
- 1990– Dedan Kagonyera (Kabale Golf Club)
- 1991 – Sadi Onito (Jinja Golf Club)
- 1992 – Juma Jaffer (Uganda Golf Club)
- 1993 – John Gavin (Uganda Golf Club)
- 1994 – Sadi Onito (Jinja Golf Club)
- 1995 – Sadi Onito (Jinja Golf Club)
- 1996 – Sadi Onito (Jinja Golf Club)
- 1997 – Steven Birungi (Uganda Golf Club)
- 1998 – Steven Birungi (Uganda Golf Club)
- 1999 – Steven Birungi (Uganda Golf Club)
- 2000 – Deo Akope (Entebbe Golf Club)
- 2001 – Deo Akope (Entebbe Golf Club)
- 2002 – Deo Akope (Entebbe Golf Club)
- 2003 – Charles Yokwe (Jinja Golf Club)
- 2004 – David Odhiambo (Nyanza Golf Club)
- 2005 – Charles Yokwe (Jinja Golf Club)
- 2006 – Amos Kamya (Entebbe Golf Club)
- 2007 – Nicholas Rokoine (Muthaiga Golf Club)
- 2008 – George Olayo (Entebbe Golf Club)
- 2009 – Peter Ssendaula (Entebbe Golf Club)
- 2010 – Brian Mwesigwa (Kabale Golf Club)
- 2011 –Rogers Byaruhanga (Uganda Golf Club)
- 2012 – Phillip Kasozi (Uganda Golf Club)
- 2013 – Peter Ssendaula (Entebbe Golf Club)
- 2014 – Willy Deus Kitata (Entebbe Golf Club)
- 2015 – Ronald Otile (Tooro Golf Club)
- 2016 – Ronald Otile (Tooro Golf Club)
- 2017 – Ronald Rugumayo (Tooro Golf Club)
- 2018 – Ronald Otile (Tooro Golf Club)
- 2019 – Daniel Nduva (Nyali Golf and Country Club)
- 2020 – John Lejirma (Kenya Railway Golf Club)
- 2021 – Joseph Cwinya-ai (Tooro Golf Club)
- 2022 – Andrew Ssekibejja (Lake Victoria Serena Golf Resort and Spa Club)