Kenyan golfer Erick Ooko managed a hole-in-one at this year’s professional event of the Johnnie Walker Uganda Golf Championship during the second round of the competition on Thursday at Entebbe Club’s par-71 course.
Ooko, a member of Nairobi’s Golf Park Golf Club, had an ace at the par-3 hole 2 to steal the show at this year’s Uganda Professionals Open, which is the 19th staging.
With a 9-iron and a Titleist Pro V1x ball, Ooko secured his first hole-in-one in a major tournament, marking the fifth ace of his career.
“It was a lucky shot, I won’t lie. The pin was positioned in a difficult place but I’m happy that I managed to get a hole-in-one,” Ooko told the media after his round.
Ooko was one of the forty players who made the cut. After two rounds, he tied for 27th with 13 other players, including three of his compatriots.
Meanwhile, Zambia’s Dayne Jr Moore, the day one leader, continues to take charge of the Johnnie Walker Uganda Professional Open after Day Two, despite posting a 73 following his superb opening 64. The Sunshine Tour golfer holds a five-stroke lead over Kenya’s Jastas Madoya, who struggled with a five-over 76. Moore displayed resilience, bouncing back from a triple bogey on the 13th hole with back-to-back eagles on the 14th and 15th.
Thirteen Ugandan golfers made the cut, including Ronald Rugumayo, who recovered from a tough first round of 75 to shoot a 69. Joining him are locals like Philip Kasozi, Abraham Ainamani, and Deo Akope. Among the amateurs, 2024 Uganda Amateur Open champion Joseph Reagan Akena and Titus Okwong will also compete in the final rounds.
Top names like Rwanda’s Aloys Nsabimana and Kenya’s Simon Ngige were among those who missed the cut.
The next round will see Moore joined by Rwanda’s Celestin Nsanzuwera and Madoya in the pressure group.
