There were celebrations, ululation, and all-around excitement surrounding the Muthaiga Golf Club immediately after Rugumayo’s putt dropped on the 18th green. A moment of history for Ugandan golf. Never before had a player from Uganda made the cut on the DP World Tour. But as Ronald Rugumayo stood over the ball on the par-5 final hole, he surely must have sensed something magical was about to happen.
He made DP World Tour history by becoming the first Ugandan golfer to make a cut. And he did it in clutch fashion with a closing birdie to shoot a one-under-par 70 at Muthaiga Golf Club in Nairobi.
“I don’t know. I don’t know what I should say,” Rugumayo said after his round.
“Whatever happened today, I was expecting it, and I have been working hard towards it. I have really put in a lot of time and commitment, and whatever has happened this week, I really deserve it.”
Rugumayo is 2,901st in the Official World Golf Ranking, playing against golfers ranked much higher than him in the world, a statistic that makes this feat even more magical. He has qualified for the Magical Kenya Open three times before. But in each of those appearances, he did not come close to making the cut.
“This year, this tournament, I want more than just making the cut,” Rugumayo added.
“Yes, I made the cut. But I have not achieved my targets yet. I would love a good position, but it will all [depend] on me, how I play, and how I handle things. What I do will determine where I will finish.”
Rugumayo’s play should be celebrated all around the world, not just in Uganda. His showing in Kenya this week is a testament to his drive, tenacity, and determination, but it also demonstrates how global the game of golf is.
In all of the 15 professional events he played on the Sunshine Tour and the Big Easy Tour in 2023, Rugumayo made only three cuts.
Hence, he knows all about pressure and the extraordinary meaning of making the cut, which means he takes home a paycheck.
Rugumayo seems to have a thing for firsts. At the same tournament last year, he became the first Ugandan to sink a hole in one on the DP World Tour when he achieved the feat at the 201-yard hole No.2.
