Tooro’s Asaba walks talk to Mayombo Open title

KAMPALA. Local boy Denis Asaba lived up to the billing, returning a bogey-free 6-under 64 gross on the par-70 Tooro Golf Club (TGC) course at the weekend to dethrone Ronald Rugumayo as Mayombo Open champion.
The 10th edition played on Saturday had competing golfers from Uganda Golf Club (UGC), Entebbe, Mbarara and the hosts among others.

Asaba, an 18-year-old Form Five student at Mpanga Senior Secondary School in Fort Portal, had warned he was going for defending champion Ronald Rugumayo’s title heading into the Open.
“I will go for it,” he said, “My tee shot is good and my putting has improved.”
Asaba had just returned from the Africa Zone V Golf Championships in Zambia, where Uganda finished a disappointing sixth.

Four-stroke victory
Rugumayo, the 2012 and 2016 Mayombo Open winner, had remained defiant on hearing the youngster was coming for his title.
“I must defend my title,” vowed Rugumayo, 25, at the time, “And whoever wants it will have to beat me.”
Asaba, also the 2016 Mukwano Open winner, did exactly that; beating Rugumayo by four strokes to add to his collection the Mayombo Open title, which is his first ever.
“I’m seeing myself going to another level,” said Asaba after claiming victory that was facilitated by six birdies on No. 3, 4, 8, 9, 10 and 13 on Saturday, “Now I’m targeting the Eskom Open title in May.”

Mayombo Open, which is still struggling for sponsorship – with the just ended edition facilitated by the family of the man it was named after and TGC - is annually played in Fort Portal in memory of the late Brigadier Noble Mayombo. He died in 2007.
Elsewhere, Betty Kieran returned 87 gross to win the ladies category. Winners took home assorted prizes.

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