Over the years at the prestigious Johnnie Walker Uganda Amateur Open Championship, there have been Day One leaders who ended up not winning the tournament.
The 76th edition tees off from the 25th-29th August 2026 at the Uganda Golf Club. This year’s edition is a unique one, with Ugx 15 million prize money to be won by the top 15 players.
Ronald Kidega, a prominent golfer in the 90’s surprised the field that included golf great Deo Akope and Stephen Birungi (a sensation at the time) on the day. Surprise leader Kidega took an early lead, exciting the golf fraternity and upsetting the golf order by then.
He eventually finished runner-up with Birungi, who went on to win his second Open back-to-back.
This year’s edition has a huge, exciting field comprising golfers from Zambia, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi and Uganda.
2024 winner Ronald Reagan Akena, from Lugazi Hills Golf and Country, doesn’t want to repeat a similar feat that he did in 2023.
“It was course freight on the day and lack of experience on my part. I really don’t want to remember that in my career,” Akena recalls. “At the moment I have gained enough experience and don’t want that to ever happen again in my career.”
Akena is among the several local favourites for this year’s open. Others include the two-time winner Joseph Cwinyaai, Juma Abiti, Abdullah Kakooza, Joseph Kasozi, Abdul Kaketto, John Musimenta, Amon Bwambale, Godfrey Kambale, and Lawrence Walakira.
Martin Ochaya recalls his moment of glory and status of being a leader on Day 1 at the Open in 2014.
“I surprised the field by taking the lead on Day 1. I remember shooting an opening round of 1-over-par 73, which was the best score of the day, and it excited my colleagues and fellow golfers.”
Ochaya, a young brother of Ronald Kidega, recalls. “I couldn’t sustain my lead the following day cause I was hit by a flying stray ball on Hole 12 on my leg while playing, which limited my movement on the day.”
The other Day 1 leader who didn’t win was Dominic Musonda from Zambia, who led last year’s Open for 3 days at the Lugazi Hills Golf and Country Club, but it was eventually won by Joseph Cwinyaai.
The 72-hole tournament is an Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) event that leads to golf rankings.
Golf great Sadi Onito won the Open a record 12 times, and no amateur golfer has broken that record.
The big question once again is: Will this record of leading Day One be achieved this year again this year?
The prize fund for the Amateurs is 15 million, with the winner walking off with 3 million and ranking points.