Kenyan government rewards Njoroge as Rugumayo wait continues

The Magical Kenya Open presented by Absa remains a big stage for regional golfers, with making the cut in the annual event still a challenge for East African professionals.

But once in a while, some golfers, like the Kenyan Kibugu brothers Mutahi and Njoroge, as well as Ugandan Ronald Rugumayo, have defied the odds by making the cut in the DP World European Tour event, which remains a critical platform for African golfers to test themselves against elite international competition.

Their feats have not only elevated their personal profiles but also raised hopes of their nations, with their respective governments promising hefty rewards after each feat.

When Kibugu, who started his golfing career as a junior in Uganda, made the cut in 2023, he not only pocketed sh17m for his 65th-place finish but was also rewarded with sh28m by Absa at the event played at the Muthaiga Golf Club in Nairobi. 

It was in the same competition that Rugumayo hit a hole-in-one using an 8-iron and his favourite Callaway Chrome X ball to become the first player to score the feat on the tour. Rugumayo hit an ace through the wind on hole 2. The feat earned him only plaudits and a Kenya Airways ticket, as he missed the cut. 

But he returned the following year (2024) and became the only East African and the only Safari Tour player to make it. His birdie putt on hole 9 ensured he got in and was immediately posted on the DP World Tour website and shared on their socials to millions of viewers.

After the feat, all eyes were on him, with local and international journalists eager to know where this only Black golfer and the only Ugandan to ever make the cut in the tournament came from. Back home, the golfing fraternity was excited and hailed his magical moment, led by the Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Thomas Tayebwa. 

Later, the state sports minister, Peter Ogwang, while officiating at the Captain’s Bell Tournament at the Uganda Golf Club in May, promised that Rugumayo would be rewarded with sh100m the next financial year (2025) from the National Recognition and Reward Scheme, a scheme of the government to recognise and award outstanding and deserving sports personalities who bring honour to Uganda.

“For purposes of Rugumayo, we must all appreciate that he performed exceedingly well when he became the first Ugandan to make the cut at a DP Tour event,” Ogwang said.

“So for that matter, it is my role and my senior minister to identify who qualifies and it is my role to budget for that specific money. So we have planned under the NCS for that money. I’m also aware that other children will continue excelling so it is within our reach to appreciate those outstanding performers in sport.

“And for me, as far as golf is concerned, we had extensive consultations between myself, the senior minister, and the Deputy Speaker of Parliament,” Ogwang stated.

“Golf is one sport we must accept and promote. We should look at attracting and developing the youth into this game and I thank the UGU for the good work they are doing,”.

But after over a year, Rugumayo has still not received the token, while other athletes, such as Cheptegei and Kiplimo, have received multiple cash rewards from the National Council of Sports for outstanding performances in the past.

Meanwhile, after this year’s Magical Kenya Open at Karen, homeboy Njoroge Kibugu, who was the only Kenyan to make the cut in this year’s event, won 5,971.31 euros (sh25m) for his 61st place finish.

But the Kenyan government also added Ksh5m (sh137m) for making it proud, with Absa adding an extra Ksh2m (sh55m), bringing the total collection to sh217m for him from this year’s event. Meanwhile, Rugumayo’s pledge seems to have hit a dead end.

“We tried to follow up on the cash from the sports ministry in vain until we gave up in September last year,” Rugumayo’s manager, Peter Mujuni, said.