Musonda leads 2026 Uganda Golf Open by six shots as Zambia closes in

Zambia is firmly in control of the 2026 Uganda Golf Open, with Dominic Musonda six strokes clear at the top of the leaderboard after 42 holes. Fellow Zambian Gilbert Chalwe is in second, leaving the two players best placed to take the title when the main Open concludes on Friday.

Musonda’s advantage has been built on remarkable consistency at Kitante. He has recorded only one bogey across his 42 holes, while 11 pars were the least impressive part of a highly productive run. His performance on Thursday also brought him within one shot of the course record of 63, set by Deo Akope in 2010 and later matched by Kenya’s Richard Ainley.

The Zambian also showed his ability to recover from difficulty on the closing hole. After missing the fairway, he played out from the forest and reached the green, coming close to making a birdie despite one of the course’s most demanding pin positions. His accuracy from the tee and strong wedge play have kept him well ahead of the field.

Chalwe strengthened his hold on second place with a one-under 71. He is five shots ahead of Uganda’s Joseph Kasozi, who led after the opening day, but remains six behind Musonda. The gap means Zambia occupies the top two places entering the final round.

Ugandan players fill the next three positions. Juma Abiti is followed by John Musiimenta and Joseph Cwinya-ai, while Zambia’s Musamba Kapoma also sits among the leading six. Cwinya-ai produced one of the day’s strongest rounds, making eight birdies on his way to a 69 and moving into contention for a high finish.

The main Uganda Golf Open ends on Friday, after which attention turns to the Pro-Am scheduled for Tuesday. For now, Musonda’s lead and Chalwe’s position give Zambia a strong chance of taking the trophy from the leading positions.