Wobbly start for golfers in Kampala

KCB E. Africa tour (Kampala leg) Day One Leader board N. Ngugi 68A. Kimani 69N. Rokoine 69D. Akope 70J. Okello 70D. Lagoro 70 RWANDA’S elite golfers Emmanuel Ruterana and Jean Baptist Hakizimana failed to come to terms with Kitante’s Par72 golf course as the penultimate leg of the 2010 KCB East Africa Tour teed off yesterday. Hakizimana carded 73 to finish 22nd while Ruterana, who narrowly missed out on the Kigali leg top prize after being edged by Kenya’s Simon Ngigi in a tense play-off series, limped to an opening two-over-par 74 to end Day One in a distant 31st slot. “It was a terrible day to begin with,” said Ruterana, who was playing on the course for the first time this year.“I didn’t hit the ball the way I wanted.” Njuguna Ngugi stormed to a four-under-par 68 while fellow countrymen Ali Kimani and Nicholas Rokoine followed closely in second place with 69. The Ugandan trio of Deo Akope, Jacob Okello and Dickson Lagoro tied in fourth place with 70. Only the top 20 of the 53 professionals will advance to the lucrative third and fourth rounds of the event. Some of the golfers in contention include Richard Ainley, who won the last leg at his home club, Nakuru, a fortnight ago, Thika’s Ngigi, who is currently leading the order of merit, hard hitting Dismas Indiza and Akope who won in Arusha in May among others. The overall winner is expected to pocket Rwf1.3m while the other 19 will share Rwf7.6m. Action continues today. Ends

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Wobbly start for golfers in Kampala