Uganda Open champion Godfrey Nsubuga gets a chance to emulate Ronald Otile’s 2015 heroics by also winning the Johnnie Walker Uganda’s Professionals Open that tees off on Wednesday. 

Mehta Golf Club-bred golfer Godfrey Nsubuga produced a stunning display to win the 82^nd edition of the Johnnie Walker Uganda Amateurs Open last Saturday, October 21, with a record-winning score of 13-under 275 over 72 holes. 

Apart from Zimbabwe’s Robson Chinhoi in 2020, in the professionals' category, no one in the history of the tournament over the last ten or so years has won the event with such a margin, meaning his winning score might take several years to break. 

In 2015 after winning his first Uganda Open Amateurs tournament, Otile stunned the golfing fraternity when he also topped the professionals' event beating a strong field of professionals from Uganda, Kenya, Zambia and South Africa with an aggregate score of 282 over the four rounds. 

Zambia’s Madalisto Muthiya carded 283 to walk away with the biggest share of the pro’s kitty then but the talk of the town was Otile (20 years old then) for his double win and outstanding display throughout the year. 

Now, Nsubuga, 23, who won the amateurs event with an overall record 13-under par says he can emulate Otile’s heroics. 

“I can beat the professionals as well because it is still the same course and I’m here preparing,” Nsubuga said as he headed to the range. 

But before Wednesday’s action, the professionals get a chance to try out the course during the Absa Bank-sponsored Pro-Am tournament that is on today. Absa chipped in for the open with sh200m part of which is for today’s tournament. But the biggest part of the package is sponsorship to the 2024 Magical Kenya Open for the top ten golfers that will emerge from the event; with priority going to the professional golfers that will make the cut. 

A number of professionals from Kenya, Zimbabwe and South Africa are already in to tussle it out with their Uganda counterparts for a share of the sh100m kitty. 

Six-time winner Kenyan Dismas Indiza will face off with a number of Ugandans that include US-based Ronald Otile, Ronald Rugumayo, Vincent Byamukama, Rodell Gaita and Abbey Bagalana and David Kamulindwa among others, who are all in for the pro-am.