PLAYER STANDINGS AFTER ROUND 3
R1 R2 R3 GS TTP
1. Godfrey Nsubuga 65 69 72 206 -10
2. Ibrahim Bagalana 70 70 69 209 -7
3. Joseph Cwinyaai 73 71 68 212 -4
4. Michael Tumusiime 74 72 73 219 +3
The final round of the 2023 Johnnie Walker Uganda Amateur Open looks promising to be a mouth-watering spectacle after round three provided all the fireworks needed to set up a grand finale for the ages when the fourth and final round takes place tomorrow at the par-72 Uganda Golf Club in Kitante.
After returning the best scores in the first two rounds, Godfrey Nsubuga was in the pressure group with the chasing pack of Ibrahim Bagalana, 2021 Champion Joseph Cwinyaai, and Michael Tumusiime in what proved to be quite the spectacle for the gallery that followed them through the course. Something was bound to give, and with a target on his back, Nsubuga knew it was going to take all he had in him to keep the rest at bay.
His slow start, a bogey on number one followed by bogeys on six, seven, and seventeen ensured he played the course even, to finish with a gross score of 206. He will hope that he can replicate his round one form if he is to have any chance of sealing it by the time he holes out on 18 by sunset tomorrow.
One man that could crash his party and upset the favorite is Ibrahim Bagalana. Playing at his home club, Bagalana chased down Nsubuga and has now cut his lead to three strokes after finishing 3 under 69 to set up a tense finish that has now been blown wide open. Bagalana only stumbled on one hole, a bogey on number four as he managed four birdies. He will have to summon everything in him if he is to force the leader to make any mistakes tomorrow.
Meanwhile, the best score of the day was by the 2021 champion Joseph Cwinyaai, after his five birdies and a bogey on thirteen saw him return 4 under 68 after round three. He has silently made his way up the leaderboard and will be looking to pick up the pieces should the leaders falter during the final round. He is playing his last amateur open before moving to the United States to pursue college golf.
Either way, you look at it, tomorrow will bring with it a grand finish with a new winner set to be announced by the time the pressure group holes out on eighteen.
