RWANDA’S PROFESSIONAL golfer Emmanuel Ruterana is keen to win this year’s Crane Bank Easter Kabale Open that tees off today in Kabale, Uganda.

Ruterana, a four-time Rwanda Open title winner in 2008, 2010, 2012 and 2013, is the only Rwandan competing in this year’s tournament.  He left the country for the tournament on Thursday.

"It is going to be tough because of the good number of elite golfers from Uganda but I am hoping for the best.  I am focused on winning the tournament,” said Ruterana, Rwanda’s number two, behind Jean Baptiste Hakizmana.

In the battle for honours, Ruterana faces Ugandan golfers led by Uganda Professional Golfers Association (UPGA) skipper Deo Akope and the country’s top amateur golfer Willy Kitaka.

Uganda’s Kitaka, Akope and Herman Mutawe have been in the hilly town of Kabale for the last one week in a bid to acclimatise.

The Crane Bank sponsored Easter Open at the Kabale Golf Course in Makanga is returning after a nearly three year absence from the Uganda Golf Union calendar owing to leadership battles.

The amateur event is expected to attract over 100 golfers from Kampala, Jinja, Lugazi, Tororo, Entebbe, Mbarara, Fort Portal, Arua, Masindi and Kabale.