Rwanda's Nsanzuwera eyes title after masterclass round at Uganda Golf Open

Rwanda professional golfer Celestine Nsanzuwera shot a six-under 65, best of the round to surge to the top of the leaderboard after the third round of the Johnnie Walker Uganda Professionals Golf Open Championship at the Lugazi Hills Golf and Country Club on Friday.

Nsanzuwera notched 8 birdies and 8 pars to take a two-stroke lead ahead of overnight leader Kenyan Dismas Indiza, who carded a third-round three-under 68 peppered with an eagle and three birdies.

His only blemish on the day was two bogeys on the par-4 hole 6 and the par-5 10, just like Indiza, who also bogeyed holes 14 and 17 in the ‘moving’ round, which saw boys being separated from the men.

Rugumayo is chasing 8 strokes heading into the last round. Photo by Michael Nsubuga

Nsanzuwera, who last week won the SunDev East Africa Swing SportsBiz Africa Championship in Kigali, now believes it is his to lose after getting used to the demanding terrain of the Lugazi Hills.

“I can say I had a good round today despite starting badly and missing easy putts, but after the front nine, I was able to make some putts and scored some birdies, and I had a strong finish,” Nsanzuwera said.

The Rwandan almost hit a hole-in-one on the par-3 fifteenth, but his ball hit the flag and bounced a few inches away as he gained momentum. But his birdie finish on that hole was only the start of a good spell that saw him register three more birdies in a row before the rain as he finished two strokes ahead of three-time champion Dismas Indiza, going into the last round of the championship.

Zimbabwe's Chinhoi celebrates his eagle on hole 16 during the third round. Photo by Michael Nsubuga

“I missed that by inches, but I wasn't aiming for an ace, but it motivated me to play the last holes well. I will stick to my game plan and keep my shots in the same shape and see what happens. “But I think I will win it,” Nsanzuwera stated.

This year, the Rwandan has already bagged wins in the Sunshine Development tournament qualifier at the Great Rift Valley Golf Resort in Naivasha, the fourth leg of the Sunshine Development Tour – East Africa Swing at the Diamonds Leisure Golf Club in Diani, and the Rwanda Open.

Indiza, who is gunning for his fourth Ugandan championship, said he would have loved to play better, but the course was too tough for him, despite a bogey-free first nine where he notched an eagle on the par-5 hole 7. An extra two birdies on the par-5 holes 10 and 17, and on the par-4 18 ensured he remained within reach of the leader.

“I was playing well, but my putting led me down. But I hope to play better in the last round because my body was stiff after the second round, but I got a message and now I’m feeling like a baby,” Indiza stated.

Two-time winner Zimbabwe’s Robson Chinhoi and Ugandan Marvin Kibirige were some of the most-improved golfers in the third round after they each carded 4-under 67 to move to third and fourth, respectively, three and four strokes away from the leader.

Round one leader Ronald Rugumayo improved his second round with a 1-under par 70 but remains 8 strokes off the leader heading into the business end of the championship.

“This is not the way I wanted it, but I need to continue creating chances. I’m creating many chances, but I’m not putting them well, so I need to improve on that front,” Rugumayo noted.

“Every major event is always won on the last nine holes and I enjoy it most when I’m chasing, so the chase is on. I just need to be more aggressive because when you see where the leader is and where I am, I need to go for it.” Rugumayo stated.

For the neutrals the expectations are high as it is going to be a showdown of great golf with some of East Africa’s and Africa’s best golfers fighting it out to grab the biggest pay cheque of sh35m that will go to the overall winner.

Round 3: Top ten

Celestine Nsanzuwera (RW) 73 69 65 207

Dismas Indiza (KEN) 69 72 68 209

Robson Chinhoi (ZIM) 71 72 67 210

Marvin Kibirige (UG) 75 69 67 211

Njoroge Kibugu (KEN) 74 68 69 211

Ronald Rugumayo (UG) 67 76 70 215

Joseph Cwinyaai (UG-a) 74 68 74 216

Reagan Akena (UG-a) 73 74 69 216

Pristy Fon Nji (CAM) 75 72 69 216

Isaiah Omwoyo (KEN) 76 70 70 217