Golfers struggling on Bujumbura course

Second round leaderboard:Rama Hakizimana 148 Gross (Bur)William Kitata 150 (Uga)Adolph Muhumuza 154 (Uga)Aphrodis Nyirinkwaya 156 (Rwa)BUJUMBURA. Despite being the overwhelming majority in a strong field of over 50 competitors, Rwanda’s amateur golfers are not having their way in the 2013 Burundi Golf Open tournament at the Bujumbura Golf Club.Over 20 players from Kigali Golf Club are taking part in the three-day tournament which was set to end on Friday. After the amateurs’ tournament, there will the ‘Pro-Am’ one-day competition on Sunday before the professionals get into the fray on Monday until Wednesday when the week-long Burundi Open comes to an end.After two days of action, Burundian Rama Hakizimana leads the main group of handicaps 0-9 by two shots over Uganda’s William Kitata. The 2013 Rwanda Open winner Aphrodis Nyirinkwaya is fourth. Hakizimana is enjoying home advantage after returning four over par 75 in the first round and an even better two-over 73 on day two.Kitata, who lost to Nyirinkwaya in the playoff in Rwanda Open, tied for the lead on day one but fell two strokes behind the leader after returning a similar score of 75 in the second round.Rwanda’s top placed player, Nyirinkwaya scored five over 76 in the first round but his second round return of nine over par 80 was even poorer for his relatively high standards. He even admitted that he is struggling to come to terms with the small but challenging Bujumbura Par-71 course.“Not only me, but almost all players (foreign) are struggling to master the course. I am not happy with how I have played today (Friday) but I hope I can improve on day three and possibly finish higher than my current placing,” the 24-year-old told Saturday Sport at the close of round two.Rwanda’s other player include; Celestine Habineza (160 Gross), Patrick Uwumukiza (163), Innocent Rutamu, who won the Rwanda Amateur Championship two weeks ago (184).Jean Bosco Ahoranayezu, Dr. Richard Gakuba (president of Kigai Golf Club), Cesco Rogomboka, Anthony Olwit and Stephen Katwiremu among others. Burundi’s Sandra Kangana leads the ladies competition. The professionals from Rwanda (Jean Baptist Hakizimana and Emmanuel Ruterana), Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania have already started arriving in Bujumbura. Rugumayo from Uganda is the defending Amateurs champion, but did not come to defend his title.The Pros tournament has total prize money of US$10, 000. Last year, Kenya’s Dismas Indiza won the title.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, which is sponsored by Brarudi - Heineken and Inter Bank Burundi, was officially launched by the Burundi Second Vice-President Gervais Rufyikiri. Other sponsors include Roca Golf Hotel, Kobil and Air Brussels.

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Golfers struggling on Bujumbura course