How Cwinyaai won his second Johnnie Walker Uganda Open Golf Championship

Ugandan Joseph Cwinyaai carded an overall 10-under 274 over 72 holes to win the 84th edition of the Johnnie Walker Uganda Open Golf Championship played at the Lugazi Golf and Country Club course.

Demonstrating grit and experience, the national team captain Cwinyaai edged out Zambian Dominic Musonda by three strokes to secure his second Uganda Open title, his first since 2021.

The victory earned him sh3m and one Gorilla trekking permit courtesy of Uganda Tourism Board, with Musonda pocketing Sh1.95m as Abdu Kakeeto, Anthony Otukei and Joseph Reagan Akena who finished third, fourth and fifth took home sh1.65m, sh1.23. and sh1m each, respectively.

The different winners from the main and subsidiary events pose with their trophies alongside UGU president Moses Matsiko (2nd right-back) and Johnnie Walker brand manager Christine Kyokunda (3rd rignt-back) and UGU president Jackson Were (centre-back) and other officials after the Johnnie Walker Uganda Golf Open Championship at the Lugazi Hills Golf and Country Club. Photo by Michael Nsubuga

The come-from-behind victory saw Cwinyaai chase two strokes from day one and would reduce that to a stroke after his three-under 68—best of the round in the second, but the Zambian held on to his lead and was confident of winning it before it slipped away from his grip on the tenth hole in the last round.

The Zambian bottled up his lead early in the last round when he bogeyed the par-4 hole 1, where Cwinyaai got a par before a par on the second, which his opponent birdied, ensuring it was all square from there on.

Momentum swung Cwinyaa’s way as he nailed a birdie on the par-3 ninth, seizing a one-stroke lead. His rival faltered on the par-5 tenth, sending the ball out of bounds and incurring a costly two-stroke penalty. Even after contesting the referee’s call, another bogey on the par-5 sixteenth only deepened his troubles. On his part Cwinyaai had enjoyed a bogey-free round until the last hole which he bogeyed but wrapped it up with a 67 comprising five birdies and 12 pars as Musonda carded 72.

Joseph Cwinyaai (3rd right) receives his trophy from former UGU president Moses Matsiko (right) and Johnnie Walker brand manager Christine Kyokunda (center) as UGU president Jackson Were (3rd left) and the other officials look on after he won the Johnnie Walker Uganda Golf Open Championship at the Lugazi Hills Golf and Country Club. Photo by Michael Nsubuga

“I’m happy with this victory because last year I lost by a shot to Lugazi’s Akena, so Im glad that I have won from his home course and this has given me the courage to continue pushing for more,” Cwinyaai said.

“This was harder than the 2021 victory but I have since futured in several tournaments like the Magical Kenya Open, the All Africa Amateur Open, I also won the Victoria Cup with the national team so it is about playing many more tournaments, gaining experience and using that experience in subsequent events.”

“I had four rounds of practice on this course before because the more you play it the more you get used to it so I knew all the corners. The harzards are many so any mistake you are in danger so every decision I made was based on the practice round,” Cwinyaai stated.

When Musonda declared after the third round that this was his to lose it made me feel bad and I vowed to silence him after the union president also encouraged me to do it for the nation and I’m glad I have delivered it,”

Musonda said the referee’s judgement on hole-ten frustrated his efforts and from then on, he was just playing to finish the round.

“I almost walked out of the event after that judgement but my caddie encouraged me to push on. For me I thought my ball was on the fairway like many others watching but the referee thought otherwise and he was just commanding me to play on,” Musonda noted.

The surprises of the tournament were Lugazi’s young players Anthony Otukei and Derrick Musana, who finished fourth and sixth. Otukei, who used to carry clubs for last year’s winner Akena, now plays for the national team and did very well on his home course. The top ten non-professional players will also compete in the Professionals Open, which starts on September 8 at the same place.

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

Top ten and ties

Joseph Cwinyaai (UG) 67 68 72 67 274

Dominic Musonda (ZAM) 65 69 7172 277

Abdu Kakeeto (UG) 70 72 74 71 287

Anthony Otukei (UG) 76 70 68 73 287

Joseph Akena (UG) 77 73 68 70 288

Derrick Musana (UG) 73 73 71 72 289

Rogers Eyoyo (UG) 71 76 70 74 291

Godfrey Kambale (UG) 76 72 72 72 292

Ibrahim Ssemakula (UG) 72 71 74 75 295

Peter Tumusiime (UG) 71 74 75 75 295

Peter Mayende (UG) 75 71 76 73 295