CHINHOI JOINT NINTH IN UGANDA GOLF EVENT

Brandon Moyo

PROFESSIONAL golfer, Robson Chinhoi finished as the highest placed Zimbabwean player at the 2024 Johnnie Walker Uganda Professional Golf Open that came to an end on Saturday at the Entebbe Golf Club in Entebbe, Uganda.

Among the six Zimbabwean players that made the cut, Chinhoi was the only one, who managed to make the top 10 on the leader board. He finished tied for ninth after shooting five-over-par-289 and was eight shots behind winner Dayne Moore from Zambia who shot three-under-par-281.

The other Zimbabweans that made the cut were Visitor Mapwanya (eight-over-par-292), Promise Sombreiro (12-over-par-296), Morton Kombai (14-over-par-298), Pride Sembo (18-over-par-302) and Nyasha Muyambo (disqualified).

It was agony for Muyambo, who was disqualified from the tournament in the third round after he signed a card with a wrong score.

Chinhoi was tied with Sydney Wemba of Zambia and Abraham Ainamani of Uganda. In his first round, the highly rated Zimbabwean golfer carded two-over-73 before going on to shoot one-over-72 in his second round.

His best round of the tournament came in the third round where he carded one-under-70. However, the fourth and final round would go on to be the best of outings as he shot three-over-74.

With Chinhoi making the top 10, the second best placed Zimbabwean was Mapwanya who carded round scores 71, 77, 70 and 74. He was tied for 17th alongside Greg Snow of Kenya, Michel Bula Bula of Cameroon, Samuel Chege of Kenya and Titus Okwong of Uganda.

Sombreiro was tied for 27 with round scores of 72, 71, 74 and 79. He was tied with Njoroge Kibugu of Kenya. Sembo was tied for 36 alongside Jeff Kubwa of Kenya. Sembo had round scores of 72, 76, 79 and 75.

In the two rounds that he played before his disqualification, Muyambo carded scores of 75 and 71.

Throughout the tournament, only two players managed to shoot under-par scores. It was the champion, Moore (three-under-par-281) and second placed Celestin Nsanzuwera (one-under-par-283). Adel Balala and Dismas Indiza, both from Kenya shot level-par and were tied for third.