The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Entebbe, Uganda | LOUIS JADWONG | A week is a long time, even in golf. Joseph Cwinyaai was a ‘big boy’ at the Amateur Open last Saturday where he was runner-up, but today he returns to take on the ‘big boys’ when the 2024 Johnnie Walker Uganda Golf Professional Open tees off at the historic Entebbe golf club.
Cwinyaai would actually have been taking on the ‘big boys’ as 2024 Johnnie Walker Uganda Amateur Golf champion but for the par 4 hole 17 on this very course. Hole 17 is nicknamed the ‘Akope Callenge’ — it now seems for a good reason.
His Day 1 was near perfect — 15 pars, 1 birdie and 2 bogeys for a total 72 strokes, just one over par. The pars included the 4 strokes expected on hole 17.
Despite declining by a single shot (total 73) on Day 2, a look at Cwinyaai’s scorecard indicated something was brewing. It now included 6 bogeys, and a double bogey (6) on the par 4 hole 17.
He managed to ‘achieve’ the same score on the same hole in the next two rounds, resulting in a one-stroke title defeat by 19-year-old golf prodigy Joseph Reagan Akena.
A golf expert at Entebbe club said hubris let Cwinyaai down. That “out of the blue, he decided to play hole 17 differently”.
“So no17 is a long par 4 with a left dog leg. Cwinya-ai used to play it with a draw (a banana-type shot)…Now he is trying a cut/fade, which is the exact opposite of a draw,” said the expert.
“Imagine the difference between an in-swinger (draw) and out-swinger (fade). It is not his strength,” the expert remarked.
When asked what happened, Cwinyaai simply said, “Nothing happened …but that’s golf, s**t happens!”
“Every golfer will have that hole in a 4-day tournament that might make him win or lose – and mine in 2024 was hole 17,” he said.
If hole 17 smiles on him in the professional open that starts today, Cwinyaai should be one of a handful of amateurs who will make the cut, after failing miserably last year.
Kenyan veteran Dismas Indiza is back to defend his title as he seeks a record 8th professional title at the 4-day Johnnie Walker Uganda Open.
The 54-year-old Kenyan long hitter, carded 11 under par 277 after 72 holes enroute to last year’s win, edging out Uganda’s Ronald Mugumya (280) who led the first three days before falling on the final day by three shots.
This year’s edition promises to be a brutal contest, with the likes of Cwinyaai coming face to face with reality.
In the field is former winner Robson Chinhoi (Zimbabwe) and ‘Ugandan’ brothers Njoroge and Mutahi Kibugu. Also competing is former champion DEO AKOPE!
✳ Winners of Pro Open since 2006
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)
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