Rising star, history-maker, a legend in the making… He has many names, but he prefers to just go by Ronald or “Mayo.” Since the age of 6, Ronald Rugumayo has been swinging his golf clubs, and now, the Ugandan is carving new victories in stone for his country, becoming the first Ugandan ever to make the cut on the DP World Tour AND the first to smash a hole-in-one on the tour!

This is a big moment for Uganda. Soccer is the biggest sport in the country, but it’s never brought such huge attention to the country as this unassuming youngster with his golf clubs and lucky #3 golf ball in hand.

Ronald Rugumayo was born and raised in Fort Portal, a town in western Uganda known for its photo-worthy scenery. His introduction to golf came early in life. Like many young Ugandans, his first passion was soccer, but he chose to focus on golf after watching his older brother win a competitive event.

He started as a young caddie, where he learned the basics by watching experienced players. His natural talent and determination became quite evident when he started playing competitively (and winning) in his teenage years. The more he played, the more he loved it… And his talent only took off even more from there.