Kenya's Dismas Indiza in early lead at Uganda Open

What you need to know:

  • Nkana Golf Club’s Moore dropped only one shot at the 16th, with birdies coming in the fourth hole and at the back nine’s 15th, 17th and 18th.
  • American-based Ugandan pro Willy Kitata holed in one at the par three-10th to lead three others including Kenya’s David Wakhu and Simon Ngugi on one under par 70 in joint fifth.
  • In addition to the hole in one, Kitata, also birdied the eighth, 11th, eagled the 15th and wound up the round with a birdie at the 18th.

Victory-hungry Dismas Indiza of Kenya got off to a flying start in this year’s Uganda Open at the par 71 Entebbe Golf Club course in Entebbe on Wednesday.

The Mumias-based Indiza, one of the longest hitters in Africa, rolled in a total of six birdies and was destined for a low score until he picked up three bogeys, one at the outward nine’s eighth and two back- to-back bogeys at the 16th and 17th for a three under 68.

This gave him a narrow one shot lead from compatriot Greg Snow, Zambia’s Dyne Moore and Robson Chinhoi from Zimbabwe.

Snow dropped early shots at the fourth and sixth, but that did not pull him back as he surged ahead with birdies on the ninth, 11th, 15th and 18th to tie for second place with Moore and Chinhoi on two under par 69.

Chinhoi, from Chapman Golf Club in Zimbabwe, made birdies on the eighth, ninth, 11th, 13th, 14th and 18th, but against four bogeys all of them in the first nine’s second, fourth, sixth and seventh.

Nkana Golf Club’s Moore dropped only one shot at the 16th, with birdies coming in the fourth hole and at the back nine’s 15th, 17th and 18th.

American-based Ugandan pro Willy Kitata holed in one at the par three-10th to lead three others including Kenya’s David Wakhu and Simon Ngugi on one under par 70 in joint fifth.

In addition to the hole in one, Kitata, also birdied the eighth, 11th, eagled the 15th and wound up the round with a birdie at the 18th.

Wakhu on his part, eagled the 11th in addition to two late birdies at the 17th and 18th, having however dropped two shots at the 13th and 16th, while Ngige made his birdies on the 11th, 13th and 15th, with a late bogey at the 17th denying him a better finish.

A total of 28 Kenyan pros are participating in the event, which is the climax of the two-week long Castle Lite Uganda Open, which started with the Ladies Open won by Tanzania’s Neema Olomi, followed last week by the leading amateurs, where Uganda’s Ronald Otile clinched his third title having won in 2015 and 2016.

Otile, who is among the four amateurs invited to join the professionals, was lying in 16th place after firing two over par 73 in the first round.