Ruterana low on confidence

After a shattered display in Uganda Open 2008 Uganda Open Professionals 1. D.Ndiza 67 70 70 70 277 2. J. Okello 69 67 72 70 278 3. D.Akope 69 72 72 66 279 11.E.Ruterana 73 75 76 74 298 Rwanda’s golf ace Emmanuel Ruterana admits his confidence has taken a battering after a rugged display in the just ended Uganda Open. Throughout the four rounds, 25-year-old failed to come to terms with Kampala’s Kitante Golf Course, despite earlier remarks that it was his favorite course in East Africa. Even after making the cut after round two, the BCR sponsored golfer failed to break into the top ten after returning scores of 76 and 74 in the third and fourth rounds. He finished in 11th spot, 21 shots off the pace. Kenya’s Dismus Ndiza retained the professionals’ title with 277 strokes while James Okello (Kenya)-278 and Uganda’s ace Deo Akope-279 closed in on second and third slots. “It never came together in Uganda. For some reason, I felt I was under a lot of pressure. At times, I found it hard to commit myself to some shots,” he said. “I lacked a bit of commitment. The freedom that I’ve been having with every part of my game, it wasn’t there.” The MTN sponsored professional rookie Jean Baptiste Hakizimana did not even make the cut. Matching into the Open, Ruterana had also endured miserable moments in the Barclays Mbarara Open after only managing a third spot finish behind the Ugandan duo of Dickson Lagoro and Henry Mutaawe. However, Henry Rugamba, one of the senior golfers at Kigali Golf Club has thrown words of comfort to the duo (Ruterana and Hakizimana) insisting that they will bounce back in the forthcoming Rwanda Open. “It’s a learning curve for them. In Uganda, they played against much more experienced lads like Ndiza and Akope who were fresh from Malaysia. But I believe home advantage will work in their favor,” Rugamba said. Ends

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Ruterana low on confidence