🟢 ⛳️ 🏌️ 1⃣ Moore 🇿🇲 64 73 72 72 -3 2⃣ Nsanzuwera 🇷🇼 66 76 72 68 -1 ✳ Indiza 🇰🇪 74 71 71 68 0 ✳ Balala 🇰🇪 73 71 73 67 0 (AM) ✳ Kasozi 🇺🇬 71 73 71 72 +3 ✳ JR Akena 🇺🇬 71 74 74 72 +7 (AM) Dayne Jr Moore’s joy at winning his first Johnnie Walker Uganda Professional Golf Open was palpable. The professional golf circuit is so competitive, that winning even a single tournament in two or three years, is no mean feat. A stunning 281 (three under par) score at Entebbe Club on Saturday ensured the Zambian will celebrate his 32nd birthday on 18th October with a second trophy this year in his hands.
“I am humbled for the victory on a year that I also won one tournament in South Africa and came second in Zambia. This gives me the momentum going into a busy next 8 weeks” Moore told the media soon after making the final putt on hole 18 amid celebrations for his already big number of fans. A par on the final hole drew huge ovations from one of the biggest galleries in Uganda Golf Open memory.
“The victory in Uganda is humbling. Entebbe is a good place and Ugandans are just like Zambians, very welcoming. I loved the gallery that also pushed us throughout the tournament” Moore said.
Moore who has been a professonal since 2011, competes for the famous Ndola club in the competitive and lucrative Sunshine Tour. The Sunshine Tour is a men’s professional golf tour based in Southern Africa and is one of the six tours which form part of the International Federation of PGA Tours. Since 2022, the top three players on the Order of Merit at the end of the season earn status to play on the European Tour for the following season His win in Uganda earns him close to sh31million from a kitty of sh150million.
He is single. From the day Moore shot a seven-under 64, the writing was on the wall. On Saturday, all he had to do was manage the course.
And he duly did. The South Africa-based Zambian coasted to victory in the 2024 Johnnie Walker Uganda Professional Open champion with a two stroke victory over Rwanda’s brilliant Celestin Nsanzuwera. Moore shot only one round under par, and that was on Thursday.
Through the next three days, he returned rounds of two-over and one-over twice. He, however, finished three under par for the championship. Moore had to hold off a furious charge from Nsanzuwera who played 68 on the final day.
The latter had been cruising before a bogey on the par-5 15th took steam out of his chase. When Moore double-bogeyed the fifth from inside 100 yards, it looked at the time like the wheels were coming off. But he responded with a birdie on the hole 6 before playing a measured round.
Mzee Wakazi Dismas Indiza finished third overall after shooting 68. Approaching 56 years, Indiza remains as competitive as ever and his powers of endurance ought to be framed in sports hall of fame. While Nsanzuwera finished at one-under, Indiza played the four days level.
The best Ugandan was Philip Kasozi who played the tournament three-over. Kasozi shot 71, 73, 71 and 72 over the four days. The second-best Ugandan was Abraham Ainamani who finished at five-over.
It was a remarkable performance tournament for Kenyan amateur Adel Balala. His round of 67 was the best on the final day and it propelled him to joint-third with Indiza. While Kasozi ended in a tie for sixth, and Ainamani in a tie for ninth, Ronald Rugumayo capitulated on the 18th with a 9 on the card.
He played a final day score of 80 that dropped him to 23rd alongside Rodell Gaita Taddeo and David Kamulindwa. Nineteen-year-old Uganda Amateur Open champion, Joseph Reagan Akena also held his ground, with a stunning 14th place finish. The 19th edition of the Professionals Open was supported by Hisense, Case Medical Services, Pinnacle Security Limited, HH Solutions, Medisell, NBS Sport, NCS, Pepsi & Aquafina and MTN.
**** *** 2006 – Deo Akope (Uganda) 2007 – Dismas Indiza (Kenya) 2008 – Dismas Indiza(Kenya) 2009 – Richard Ainley (Kenya) 2010 – Dismas Indiza (Kenya) 2011 – Dismas Indiza (Kenya) 2012 – Dismas Indiza (Kenya) 2013 – Vicent Byamukama (Uganda) 2014 – Deo Akope (Uganda) 2015 – Madalisto Muthiya (Zambia) 2016 – Joshua Seale (South Africa) 2017 – Stephen Ferriera (Portugal) 2018 – Dismas Indiza (Kenya) 2019 – Madalisto Muthiya (Zambia) 2020 – Robson Chinhoi (Zimbabwe) 2021 – Jastas Madoya (Kenya) 2022 – Robson Chinoi 2023 – Dismus Ndiza (Kenya) 2024 – Dayne Moore (Zambia).
