Rugumayo, Kibugu in running for MKO sponsorship, Akatuhurira tops Pro-Am
Absa executive director Micheal Segwaya (C), UGU president Jackson Were (R) and tournament director Paul Habyarimana (2nd R) pose a photo with the top 10 Individuals amateurs. PHOTO/EDDIE CHICCO
What you need to know:
The three, together with Greg Snow of Kenya and Uganda’s Silver Opio, were the top five outstanding golfers in Tuesday’s ABSA Pro-Am event at the par-71 Entebbe Golf Club.
Uganda’s top professional golfer Ronald Rugumayo, Rwanda’s Celestin Nsanzuwera and Kenya’s Njoroge Kibugu are three of the five professionals whose entire expenses at the 2025 Magical Kenya Open will be taken care of if they qualify.
The three, together with Greg Snow of Kenya and Uganda’s Silver Opio, were the top five outstanding golfers in Tuesday’s ABSA Pro-Am event at the par-71 Entebbe Golf Club.
All five professional golfers will be fully sponsored by ABSA Bank should they make it to the lucrative DP World Tour event. To qualify, they must do well in the Safari Tour.
The five amateur golfers who are guaranteed of an all-expenses-paid trip to Muthaiga are Philemon Akatuhurira, Ronald Pulle, Peace Hellen, Christopher Magezi and Apollo Segawa. Akatuhurira played 42 points to emerge best.
The best professional was Nsanzuwera who shot a near-impeccable round of 65. He walked away with Shs3.5m courtesy of ABSA because his team ‘Johnnie Walker Four’ garnered 109 points. That team included Denis K. Mujuni, Oscar Semweya and Milton Ocen.
The second best team was ‘Johnnie Walker One’ who lost out on countback having also garnered 109 points. It had professional Vincent Byamukama who received Shs2.5m, Alexander Matsiko, Peace Hellen and Jovia Tugume.
The second runner up was team Case Medical Services which featured professional Nyasha Muyambo, Henry Ssali, Adoch Luwum and Paul Habyarima. Muyambo took home Shs2m.
All other golfers in ‘Johnnie Walker Four’, ‘Johnnie Walker One’ and Case Medical Services took home a trophy, a duffel bag and flasks.
The Pro-Am had a colourful 19th hole in which Uganda Golf Union President Jackson Were hailed the contribution of ABSA towards the development and transformation of the game of golf in the country.
“ABSA have been supportive and proactive in all things golf and we can’t thank enough the MD Mumba (Kalifungwa) and his team for adding a brick to this beautiful game year in year out,” Were remarked.
ABSA Executive Director Michael Ssegwaya acknowledged the bank’s contribution of Rugumayo’s journey and reiterated the company’s support towards amateur and professional golf in Uganda.
