Zambia’s Moore wins Uganda Pros Golf Open in Entebbe

On Saturday, Zambia’s Dayne Moore carded an overall three-under par 281 over four rounds to win the Johnnie Walker Uganda Professional’s Open at Entebbe Club.

Since the opening round when he opened up a five-stroke lead, Moore has been relentless and despite losing a few strokes on the opening holes of the last round, the Ndola Golf Club pro held on to edge Rwandan Celestine Nsanzuwera to the biggest share of sh150m by two strokes.

Moore walked away with sh31m while Nsanzuwera took home sh21m with third-place and defending champion Kenyan Dismas Indiza settling for sh12m.

Kenyan amateur Adel Balala who led the amateurs' event last week only to collapse in the subsequent rounds finished strong and joint third with Indiza.

Zambian professional golfer Dayne Moore (2nd right) receives prizes from UBL Managing Director Andrew Kilonzo (left), UBL chairman Jimmy Mugerwa and UGU president Jackson Were (right) after the Johnnie Walker Uganda Professionals Open at Entebbe Club, September 7, 2024. Photo by Michael Nsubuga

Moore had an overnight five-stroke lead but that was reduced to two after the par-4 fifth hole which he double-bogeyed, having started with bogey on the par-5 number one.

When he bogeyed the par-3 hole ten, everyone thought the Rwandan who had finished the first-nine 3-under would seize the moment but he also bogeyed hole-ten as all the golfers in the pressure group tested mixed fortunes.

Meanwhile, Uganda’s biggest hope before the last round Abraham Ainamani had played the first nine five-over and was slipping further down the leaderboard as Ronald Rugumayo, another pre-tournament favourite also had one of the worst starts of the event eventually collapsed to finish 23rd.

In the end, it was Rwandan Nsanzuwera, and Kenyan Indiza’s last round three-under 68 each that propelled them to finish second and third respectively.

“I thought about it yesterday. I remember my friend Madalisto Muthiya winning it at Serena and I did say that I would one day win it also, so it has come to pass and I’m very happy, “Moore said.

“It was tough but yeah, I held on. I made a double bogey on number five but followed that with a birdie which helped. I was really under pressure there but the birdie comforted me. You have self-talk and all the tools to calm you down that is what I used.

Zambian professional golfer Dayne Moore chips from a bunker on hole-5 during the Johnnie Walker Uganda Professionals Open at Entebbe Club, September 7, 2024. Photo by Michael Nsubuga

“I want to thank my team and my family for I couldn’t do all this without them. Golf is a very individual sport and you need the right team around you especially if you want to make it in this day and age,” Moore stated.

Moore, currently ranked 14th on the Sunshine Tour, said that his second round was the most challenging as he tried to match his opening round score of 7-under 64.

“I felt a lot of pressure and I haven’t felt that kind of pressure for a long time; it is something to work on for the rest of my season. I want to achieve top ten or top five on the Sunshine Tour,”

This was the second win for the Zambian this year following his Bushveld Tour win in South Africa, in addition to a second-place finish in the Zambian Open which was also a Sunshine Tour event at home. “It has been a great year for me and the best so far,”

Uganda’s best performers in the event were Phillip Kasozi and Abraham Ainamani who finished tied for sixth and ninth respectively.

Ainamani was hoping to finish among the top five but in the end, settled for 9th but was still happy with his performance.

“This was my first time to play in the pressure group and my first to make the top ten, so I will take it. It was a tough round with all the people in the gallery adding to the pressure. It wasn’t like a normal golf round for me but I will build on that,” Ainamani noted.

Uganda Professionals Golfers Association (UPGA) chairman Akope who also made the cut and finished 23rd overall said he was happy to have bounced back to play competitively after almost six months due to injury.

“It is good that I’m back to play competitive golf. I came with a target of just making the cut which I did. I could have finished strongly but today the putts were not dropping but it is still okay, I’m not complaining,”

“Our local pros did well although I expected more than 11 to make the cut. This time we had a run of events before the open but I think the course conditions were generally tough, the greens were inconsistent with the speeds, some were soft others were hard but I’m happy that our boys did their best,” Akope stated.

The 11 Ugandans that made the cut took only about ten percent (sh15m) of the sh150m kitty. It has been ten years since a Ugandan pro (Akope) won the event.

Top ten

Dayne Moore (ZAM) 64 73 72 72 281

Celestin Nsazuwera (RWA) 70 73 72 68 283

Adel Balala (KEN) AM 73 71 73 67 284

Dismas Indiza (KEN) 74 71 71 68 284

Jastas Madoya (KEN) 66 76 72 71 285

Phillip Kasozi (UG) 71 73 71 72 287

Mike Kisia (KEN) 70 74 71 72 287

Pristhy Fon (CAM) 77 70 67 74 288

Robson Chinhoi (ZIM) 73 72 70 74 289

Sydney Wemba (ZAM) 72 73 69 75 289

Abraham Ainamani (UG) 69 75 70 75 289