RWANDA’s professional golfers Emmanuel Ruterana and Jean Baptiste Hakizimana start their quest for the lucrative KCB East African Golf tour this morning at Muthaiga golf course.

After four days of intensive training at the Par-72 golf course, the pair is ready to take on some of Africa’s best golfers.

"The practice sessions have gone well and we are in good shape to compete,” Ruterana said.

Over 50 golfers from the region are expected to take part in the four-day event which has prize money amounting to Kshs.1m (approx.Rwf7.1m).

This year, Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB) has splashed over Rwf66.7m in the tour. The opening round was staged at Thika golf course from February 9-12. After the second leg, action will shift to Nyanza golf course from April 6-9.

The fourth leg will be played in Nakuru (June 8-11), Arusha Gymkhana will host the fifth leg (May 12-15) while the sixth leg (KCB Rwanda Open) will be held between May 25-28.

The final legs will be held at Uganda Golf Club (July 6-9) and Nyali Golf and Country Club Mombasa (August 10-13) respectively.

Last year, Ruterana finished behind Kenya’s Dismas Ndiza in the KCB Rwanda Open. Hakizimana settled for third place.

Ends