BUJUMBURA. Rwanda’s professional golfers are determined to make their mark in this year’s Burundi Open tournament which starts today at the Par-71 Bujumbura course in Burundi.Jean Baptist Hakizimana, Emmanuel Ruterana and Ernest Ndayisaba are seeking to upset a star-studded field led by the defending champion Dismas Ndiza from Kenya.Of the three, only Hakizimana has tasted success at the challenging Bujumbura course back in 2011. Last year he finished fourth but feels he can do a lot better this time round."The target is to win the competition, that is why I came in early enough so that I don’t get excuses for not performing well,” Hakizimana told Times Sport on the side of the ‘Pro-Am’ one-day competition on Sunday.He added, "Finishing fourth last year was the worst I have performed on this course as a professional but I hope to at least finish second if I don’t manage to win.” The former caddie has been in Bujumbura since Wednesday acclimatizing to the weather and getting used to the course as he plots to dethrone Ndiza, who starts the three-day tournament as the favourite ahead of Uganda’s Deo Akope and Kenyan Richard Ainley.Ruterana, who arrived here on Friday, is seeking to break his jinx at the Bujumbura course where he has a poor record since he first played there as a professional golfer in 2006.Last year, he finished in a disappointing 15th position but is hoping to atleast finish among the top five, which in his words, "would be a very big achievement.” Ndayisaba finished 14th last year.Kenya has the biggest number of entrants with over 10 players, Uganda has eight, Rwanda has three, while Tanzania and Burundi are also represented.Uganda wins amateur categoryThis year’s amateur competition which started on Thursday and ended on Saturday was won by Uganda’s William Kitatta, who beat Burundian Rama Hakizimana 2-1 in a three-hole playoff finale after they had tied with 225 Gross.The 2013 Rwanda Open winner Aphrodis Nyirinkwaya finished fourth, 11 shots behind the leaders, while Uganda’s Adolph Muhumuza took third place five strokes ahead of Nyirinkwaya.The Burundi Open is the flagship tournament on the Burundi golf calendar year. This is the 15th edition of the annual tournament, which brings together the top golfers from the East African region.The tournament is sponsored by Brarudi - Heineken and Inter Bank Burundi, Roca Golf Hotel, Kobil and Air Brussels among others.