Njoroge best placed to end 11-year Kenyan wait for Uganda Open title

Kenya's Njoroge tees off yesterday.
 He is the overnight leader. PHOTO CASTLE-LITE MEDIA

 SATURDAY
💠 Tee off 12.30pm
✳ S Njoroge 🇰🇪 213
✳ S Njogu 🇰🇪 215
✳ R Otile 🇺🇬 216
💠 Tee off 12.20pm
✳ D Nduva 🇰🇪 216
✳ J Cwinyaai 🇺🇬 221
✳ D Asaba 🇺🇬 223
💠Venue: Lake Victoria Serena

💠 LIVE: Results (click)
Final day draw (bottom)

Kigo, Uganda | LOUIS JADWONG |  Kenya Railway Golf Club veteran Samuel Chege Njoroge gets an opportunity today to break an 11 year jinx for foreign entrants at the Uganda Amateur Golf Open.

Ugandans have won the last 11 Opens, with Njoroge's fellow countryman Nicholas Rokoine from Muthaiga Golf Club the last foreign entrant to win the title in 2007.

Overnight leader Njoroge marches into today's final round with a score of 213 from 54 holes, which is  a two stroke lead over another Kenyan Simon Njogu, and three over defending champion Ronald Otile. The long-hitting Kenya Railway Club golfer has finished in the top 10 in his past two attempts, with a 4th place finish in 2017.

" This is a new course... everyone is new to it so whoever swings well, and whoever will have luck will win. I made some mistakes on Friday and if I try to avoid the mistakes, I believe I can win it," the Kenyan ace said.

Njoroge carded 68 to take the lead Friday, and is one of only five who have played under par in the first three rounds. Three of the five are in today's pressure group that promises a thrilling battle to a full gallery at the prestigious and picturesque Lake Victoria Serena Golf Resort & Spa course at Kigo.

The Kenyans will however have to contend with favourite Otile, who has stormed from being 13 behind the day one leader Njogu, to playing in the pressure group.

Friday's all Kenyan pressure group heading to the back nine.
 PHOTO LOUIS JADWONG

After a disastrous start, that saw him card 82 strokes on Wednesday, he remained optimistic, and warned that, "It is a game. I played +10 today, but I can still play -10 tomorrow."

He has come close to doing that already, hitting a course record 4 under 68 on Thursday, then breaking the record Friday with a stunning 6 under par 66 that had an eagle, six birdies and nine par scores in the 18 holes - completely demystifying the water hazards that dominate the course.

Otile

What will not be good news for his opponents is the fact that after his six-under par score on Friday, Otile still felt there is room for improvement. "I need to play the course as it is and on regulations. I'll also need to commit on putting tomorrow," he said, when asked about his thoughts ahead of D-day.

Last year, he came from 5 strokes behind in the very last 6 holes to win. A thrilling final day awaits golf fans at the 78th Uganda Amateur Golf Open. (watch video here)

Uganda Amateur Open Main Event Draw Day 4 - Uganda Open 2019 by The Independent Magazine on Scribd


Golf Open Winners since 1932
1932 – H.Davidson (Uganda Golf Club)
1933 – H.Davidson (Uganda Golf Club)
1934 – R.W Hooker (Muthaiga Golf Club)
1935 – J.D Rankine (Uganda Golf Club)
1936 – J.D Rankine (Uganda Golf Clun)
1937 – H. Davidson (Uganda Golf Club)
1938 – R.W Bun (Mombasa Golf Club)
1939 – J.E Higginson
1940 – 1947 NOT HELD
1948 – D. F Stewart (Uganda Golf Club)
1949 – A.Q Roberts (Kitale Golf Club)
1950 – N.C Elwell (Uganda Golf Club)
1951 – N.C Elwell (Mwanza Golf Club)
1952 – J.R Cooke (Uganda Golf Club)
1953 – R.W Hooper (Nairobi Golf Club)
1954 – M.Johnson (Kabalae Golf Club)
1955 – J.R Oglive (Kitale Golf Club)
1956 – J.R Oglive (Kitale Golf Club)
1957 – Ian McAdam (Uganda Golf Club)
1958 – Brian Malone (Uganda Golf Club)
1959 – Ian McAdam (Uganda Golf Club)
1960 – Mike Johnson (Mbale Golf Club)
1961 – Mike Johnson (Mbale Golf Club)
1962 – Mike Johnson (Mbale Golf Club)
1963 – John Higginson (Uganda Golf Club)
1964 – John Higginson (Uganda Golf Club)
1965 – Muhammed Rajab (Nairobi Golf Club)
1966 – John Higginson (Uganda Golf Club)
1967 – I.Pattinson (Dar es Salaam Golf Club)
1968 – G.Burrows (Uganda Golf Club)
1969 – M.Rajab(Nairobi Golf Club)
1970 – M.Couma (Uganda Golf Club)
1971 – J. Kahugu (Sigona Golf Club)
1972 – Ben Okello (Masaka Golf Club)
1973 – Tom Taban (Uganda Golf Club)
1974 – Alex Okodan (Uganda Golf Club)
1975 – Ramathan Kayamba (Uganda Golf Club)
1976 – Sadi Onito (Jinja Golf Club)
1977 – Sadi Onito (Jinja Golf Club)
1978 – Sadi Onito (Jinja Golf Club)
1979 – 1980 – Not held
1981 – Juma Jaffer (Uganda Golf Club)
1982 – Juma Jaffer (Uganda Golf Club)
1983 – Sadi Onito (Uganda Golf Club)
1984 – John Mucheru (Uganda Golf Club)
1985 – Sadi Onito (Jinja Golf Club)
1986 – Sadi Onito (Jinja Golf Club)
1987 – Sadi Onito (Jinja Golf Club)
1988 – Sadi Onito (Jinja Golf Club)
1989 – Allan Njoroge (Muthaiga Golf Club)
1990- Dedan Kagonyera (Kabale Golf Club)
1991 – Sadi Onito (Jinja Golf Club)
1992 – Juma Jaffer (Uganda Golf Club)
1993 – John Gavin (Uganda Golf Club)
1994 – Sadi Onito (Jinja Golf Club)
1995 – Sadi Onito (Jinja Golf Club)
1996 – Sadi Onito (Jinja Golf Club)
1997 – Steven Birungi (Uganda Golf Club)
1998 – Steven Birungi (Uganda Golf Club)
1999 – Steven Birungi (Uganda Golf Club)
2000 – Deo Akope (Entebbe Golf Club)
2001 – Deo Akope (Entebbe Golf Club)
2002 – Deo Akope (Entebbe Golf Club)
2003 – Charles Yokwe (Jinja Golf Club)
2004 – David Odhiambo (Nyanza Golf Club)
2005 – Charles Yokwe (Jinja Golf Club)
2006 – Amos Kamya (Entebbe Golf Club)
2007 – Nicholas Rokoine (Muthaiga Golf Club)
2008 – George Olayo (Entebbe Golf Club)
2009 – Peter Ssendaula (Entebbe Golf Club)
2010 – Brian Mwesigwa (Kabale Golf Club)
2011 –Rogers Byaruhanga (Uganda Golf Club)
2012 – Phillip Kasozi (Uganda Golf Club)
2013 – Peter Ssendaula (Entebbe Golf Club)
2014 - Kitata (Entebbe Golf Club)
2015 - Ronald Otile (Tooro Golf Club)
2016 - Ronald Otile (Tooro Golf Club)
2017 - Ronald Rugumayo (Tooro Golf Club)
2018 - Ronald Otile (Tooro Golf Club)