Indiza lands fifth Open title

Kampala. When he stood on the fine 18th green after obliterating the field, it was case of déjà vu as Kenyan Dismas Indiza had won his fifth title at the 13th Castle Lite Uganda Professionals Golf Open in Entebbe on Saturday evening.
The only difference between the latest and the past four delights was one.

“This is the best (of them all),” Indiza opened up after hoisting the trophy from Nile Breweries boss Thomas Kamphuis in company of Uganda Professional Golf Association’s Dr. Sam Sejjaka, Uganda Golf Union president Innocent Kihika and tournament director John Katto.

Following four-day action over 72 holes at the par-71 course, Indiza had beaten the field by four shots with an aggregate score of 274 gross, an equivalent of 10-under (-10), the Open’s best show in all 13 editions.
“I am happy to win this tournament,” Indiza said, “I practiced a lot to win. I prepared by hitting 400 balls on the range and playing 36 holes a day because I knew it wouldn’t be easy,” added the 50-year-old who is set to head to USA for the Seniors Tour.

Granted, Indiza deserved the biggest share of the $50000 purse (Shs191m). He was too classic to be matched by the 98-man field to the extent that he literally won the Open after Day Three on Friday when he shot three-under 68 for then -12 overall. That ensured Indiza took a five-shot lead over the chasing pack with immediate rival Kenyan Greg Snow at -7 heading into Saturday.

“I knew that no one would beat me with five shots so I just wanted to maintain my lead on the final day,” Indiza would say after carding two-over 73.
But the real day Indiza had played was Day Two on Thursday when he carded five straight reactionary birdies to fire six-under 65 enroute to his 22.5 percent share equivalent to Shs41m.

And to be honest, the murmurs within the gallery on Saturday that that the pressure group of Indiza, Snow and Zambian Muthiya Madalisto ‘had no pressure’ held water as the title had been wrapped up.
Madalisto would finish sixth with a round of six-over 77 after falling three places behind countrymate Dayne Moore and best Ugandan pairing Denis Anguyo and Happy Robert who tied fourth.

Professional champions

2018: Dismas Indiza (KEN)
2017: Stephen Ferreira (POR)
2016: Joshua Seale (RSA)
2015: Muthiya Madalitso (ZAM)
2014: Deo Akope (UGA)
2013: Vincent Byamukama (UGA)
2012: Dismas Indiza (KEN)
2011: Dismas Indiza (KEN)
2010: Jean Baptiste Hakizimana (RWA)
2009: Richard Ainley (KEN)
2008: Dismas Indiza (KEN)
2007: Dismas Indiza (KEN)
2006: Deo Akope (UGA))

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