The golfing world got to see a heartwarming tale amidst the fairways of the Muthaiga Golf Course. Even though it was Tapio Pulkkanen, Conor Syme, and Darius van Driel who were at the top of the leaderboard after round two of the 2024 Magical Kenya Open with a score of -7, it was Ronald Rugumayo’s achievement that took center stage at the Nairobi greens.

Rugumayo, a professional golfer from Uganda, etched his name in the history books of golf by becoming the first Ugandan to qualify for any DP World Tour event. The magnanimous feat has been making the rounds on the internet and has raised a sense of pride and excitement among fans and critics alike.

Ronald Rugumayo creates history on the Kenyan greens

A short snippet of a Rugumayo magical birdie putt was shared on the DP World Tours official X handle (formerly known as Twitter). In the tweet, the commentator can be heard excitedly saying, “C’monnnnn, yes! That is just brilliant.” After the birdie, a loud cheer instantly erupted on the golf course, to which the commentator added a few more lines and said, “What a roar as well. He’s got some fans out there!”. 

The Ugandan native did not have the best start at the Kenya Open. During round one, Rugumayo carded three bogeys on the front nine and another bogey on the back nine at the 12th hole but went on to score three birdies as well, ending the first day with a score of 1 over 72.

The 31-year-old started his round two on the wrong foot as well with a bogey and scored two more bogeys on the 5th and 7th holes, though he tried to make it up with two birdies on the par-5 4th hole and the par-4 ninth hole. Rugumayo picked up his momentum in the final part of the match as he carded a birdie on the 15th hole and soon after sealed his fate with a breathtaking birdie on a pressure-packed par-5 18th hole, ending the round with 1 under 70.

Read More: 2023 Kenya Open: Prize Money Breakdown and Winner’s Payout

Rugumayo expressed his emotions after a post-match interview with Jason Sagini of RIF and stated, “I was expecting this to happen, I’ve put in alot I deserve it. Yes I’ve made the cut but yet to hit my target.” and it’s definitely evident from the reaction of the netizens that they agree with the 31-year-old golfer.

Fans celebrate the success of Rugumayo

Ranked at No. 2,901 in the Official World Golf Ranking, Ronald Rugumayo’s route to his first DP World Tour cut is nothing short of remarkable. With just two previous DP World Tour starts under his belt, the Ugandan’s journey and the recent success truly resonated with many across the world.

One of the golfer’s fans couldn’t keep calm and shared the importance of Rugumayo’s win as they tweeted, “History Made! @RonaldRugumayo becomes first Ugandan to make cut at @DPWorldTour @KenyaOpenGolf since its inception in 1967.“

Another fan showered love on the shot made and further went on to compare it with the American Circuit and the Saudi Backed league and stated, “Love this. So much better than the PGA/LIV saga.”

One fan spoke about the emotions that might be coursing through the golfers’ veins and commented, “He thought he missed it. And then he just wills it in!”

Another fan highlighted how numerous stories of success have graced the greens of the Kenya Open and these moments are the reason why they love the European circuit.

It looks like the pro invoked curiosity in one of his fans by the way he holds his putter.

Another well-wisher had higher hopes for the Ugandan and stated, “Hope he can make his way to the leaderboard this weekend!”

The DP World Tour pro’s birdie was surely captivating. One X user chose to share the reaction of viewers who were keenly watching Rugumayo’s last shot at a local club.

What do you think of Ronald Rugumayo’s scintillating final hole play on the greens? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

Read More: Strategic Alliance’: PGA Tour and the DP World Tour Announce a Bold Move to Combat the Rival LIV Golf