Rugumayo wins second leg of MTN Pro Tees Championship in Entebbe
After winning the Johnnie Walker Uganda Open at Kitante last week, Rugumayo continued his impressive run by carding 16-under 268 over 72 holes, securing his fifth title in approximately six weeks.
Ronald Rugumayo won his fifth event in six weeks in Entebbe, September 11, 2026. Photo by Michael Nsubuga
Professional golfer Ronald Rugumayo aims to continue his strong form at the Sunshine Development Pearl of Africa Golf Championship in Entebbe, beginning September 18, after winning the second leg of the MTN Pro Tees at the same venue.
After winning the Johnnie Walker Uganda Open at Kitante last week, Rugumayo continued his impressive run by carding 16-under 268 over 72 holes, securing his fifth title in approximately six weeks.
Since finishing second in the Absa Chairman’s Bell Tournament at Kitante on July 18, he has won the UGC Ladies Open Professional’s event, the Watoto Charity Golf Tournament, the Absa Pro-Am, and the Uganda Open Championship, all with impressive under-par scores.
In Entebbe, Rugumayo, who also competes on the Sunshine Tour in South Africa, set a course record with an 8-under 63 (unofficial because of the preferred lie rule) in the third round, then secured victory with a flawless 7-under 64 in the final round.
He finished ahead of his closest competitor, Abraham Ainamani, who won the first leg, by seven strokes.
“It's always a great feeling to win, but for me it's not all about the win. It's about my performance, most especially in the last two days. This is my personal best, and there are so many positive things to take out of those two rounds, as I prepare myself for SDT next week,” Rugumayo said.
He drained 23 birdies and made only 7 bogeys over four rounds to bank the biggest share of the sh20m prize money shared among the top 18 golfers who made the cut.
“This victory means a lot. It is a sign that all the hard work and sacrifices I've been making are eventually paying off, especially winning an MTN-sponsored event, which was once my sponsor. I feel like I'm giving back to MTN and the golf community with these impressive scores.
“I have to credit my mental toughness, especially after struggling the first two days. But eventually I managed to shut down, forget what happened at the Uganda Open, and be present. So, for me, it all goes back to the mindset,” Rugumayo stated.
He said there are so many positives to take from Entebbe which will help him mentally, physically and confidence-wise next week.
Meanwhile, the battle for second was also tightly contested between Rodell Gaita and Abraham Ainamani, but it was the latter who triumphed despite starting off the last round worse than his opponent.
Ainamani bogeyed holes 2, 5, and 7 to finish 2-over on the turn, while Gaita had only one bogey on the par-3 6 to finish the front 1-over. But he finished off the round with only one birdie and level overall on the day, while Ainamani notched four birdies in the round and finished 1-under 70 to beat his opponent to second place by two strokes.
Grace Kasango finished fourth with an overall 4-under 280 while Silver Opio finished fifth on 283. The third leg of the event, with a kitty of sh30m, will be played in November.
Final Leaderboard: Top ten
Ronald Rugumayo 70 71 63 64 268
Abraham Ainamani 68 70 67 70 275
Rodell Gaita 67 70 69 71 277
Grace Kasango 72 70 70 68 280
Silver Opio 76 68 69 70 283
David Kamulindwa 74 70 69 72 285
Phillip Kasozi 75 72 74 65 286
Deo Akope 68 69 75 75 287
Herman Mutaawe 71 72 71 75 290
Ronald Otile 67 78 71 75 291