Entebbe Club’s Michael Tumusiime carded one-over 73 in the second round to take a two-stroke lead as the Tusker Malt Lager Uganda Open raged on at the Lake Victoria Serena Golf Resort on Thursday.

Tumusiime who was trailing by a stroke after the first round played better than the first-round leader Andrew Ssekibejja to overtake him by two strokes after the second.

Tumusiime notched four birdies and nine pars in the second round to show strong intentions of winning his first Uganda Open title; and must be loathing the three bogeys on holes 3, 10, and 16 and the double bogey on the 18th which dented his rather perfect round.

Ssekibejja was praying for an even better return in the second round but could only birdie the par-5 hole 13 and despite registering 13 pars, bogeyed holes; 5, 16, 17, and an earlier double bogey on the par-3, hole-7 will have him now chasing.

The most improved golfer in the second round was the defending champion Joseph Cwinya-ai who played three under 69 to come within four strokes of the leader. An improvement of 11 strokes shows Cwinya-ai is still the man to beat in this event that has two more rounds to go.

Cwinya-ai’s double-bogey-free round saw him registering four birdies and an eagle on the par-5 hole 13, on top of ten pars, to resurrect his chances that seemed evaporated after his first round eight-over 80.

Another significant improvement was registered by Kinyara Golf Club and national team’s Joseph Kasozi who jumped from eighth to fourth after he improved by five strokes to finish the second round with one-over 73.

A hole-in-one hero during the first round could also not replicate his first-round antics, slipping from six to eighth on the leaderboard.

Top ten after second round

Michael Tumusiime 72 73 145

Andrew Ssekibejja    71 76 147

Joseph Cwinya-ai      80 69 149

Joseph Kasozi            78 73 151

Ibrahim Bagalana     77 75 152

Godfrey Nsubuga     75 77 152

Brian Mugabe           79 74 153

John Basabose          76 82 158

Felix Dusabe              75 83 158

Edson Kabareebe     74 84 158