By CYNTHIA OMBATI
An eagle at hole 10 propelled home player Alvin Gakele to a famous victory in the sixteenth leg of the 2011/2012 Safaricom Business Golf Challenge played at the nine hole Kiambu Sports Club at the weekend.
Alvin playing off handicap 24 posted an impressive 42 stable ford points to reign supreme in the day long competition that had attracted more than 130 golfers.
The win secures him a ticket to the tournament’s Grand Finals to be held at Vipingo Ridge, Mombasa on April 28.
Despite staying away from the course for one year and still enjoying his high handicap, Alvin who returned to the Course three months ago managed to maintain his initial Handicap often but has now chopped to 20.
“I played an easy beautiful game, always staying on the fairways, chipping well and my putting was fantastic. I am now looking forward to playing in the grand finals in Vipingo Ridge and who knows I might as well return magnificent score,” he said on receiving his sponsored ticket to the Finale from Safaricom Business Development Manager, Romuald Maina.
He embarked on the outward nine with a bogey followed by a par on the second, bogey on the third before sinking a birdie on the downhill par three hole four.
He then pared the fifth, dropped a short each on the sixth and seventh, before recovering with a birdie on the eight and an easy par on the ninth to record 21 points.
At the inward nine, he fired an eagle three and followed it with consecutive pars on the thirteenth, fourteenth, fifteenth, sixteenth and a short dropped on eighteenth for a total 22 points.
Thomas Kimari followed closely with a tie of 42 points but defeated on count back by Alvin.
Kimari playing off handicap 19 posted two birdies to combine 23 and 19 points in each nine to also book a ticket to the Grand Finale.
Home club Stephen Karanja playing off handicap 3 sunk two birdies to collect 41 points and secure the third position.
Purit Mwangi playing off 28 finished fourth while long hitter and also the club’s Vice Chairman Dr.Paul Murumba was fifth.
Leonard Wachira took home the guest prize, while the longest Drive men’s prize went to John Ngure and Catherine Ngurani took the longest drive ladies prize.
Nearest to pin went to John Machua on 9.5 win while Alex Mwangi won the junior prize.
In the caddie’s competition, Lawrence Ngige playing off 2 was unbeatable after posting 40 points.
The seventeenth edition and the last one before the grand finale will be staged in Royal Golf Club on the 17th March 2012.Close to 200 golfers are expected to battle it out for the Grand finale slot at the venue. michael kors outlet michael kors outlet

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