By JAMES WAINDI

The team of Thomas Kimari, Timothy Kihara Eliud Kuria and Newton Mwangi managed an impressive total score of 111 points to win the first leg of this year’s Dasani Golf Gala held at the par 72 Kiambu Golf Club on Saturday.

The feat earned them a ticket to the tournament’s Grand Finale to be held at the Karen Golf and Country Club on September 29.

Timothy Kihara playing off handicap 19 anchored the team alongside Thomas Kimari as they posted 38 stableford points apiece. Eliud Kuria playing off 18 amassed 35 points, while Newton Mwangi playing off handicap 20 was the group’s weakest link as he posted 33 points.

Kihara started his round with three back-to-back pars on the first three holes, dropped a shot on the fourth hole, had double bogeys on the fifth and sixth holes with more bogeys on the seventh and eight but leveled the ninth hole for a first nine score of 21.

In the second nine, he started poorly dropping three shots on the 10^th hole, played bogeys on the 11^th and 12^th, but leveled hole 13 and 14, before dropping a shot on the 15^th. He recovered to level hole 16, but lost single shots each on the 17^th and 18^th for a second nine score of 17.

Speaking on behalf of the winning team, Eliud Goko Kuria said they deserved the win and vowed to repeat the same feat at the Grand Finalle and qualify to play in Dubai.

“We arranged the game yesterday, but we honestly didn’t know we would take the overall title today. All the four of us have, however, been playing good golf of late, in fact I won a tournament here last weekend and another one yesterday so it is not by accident that I am in the winning team, we hope to carry the same form to the grand finale,” said Kuria.

The runners-up team was made up of Col. Julius Githiri, Julius Githiri, Joseph Biriri and Mofart Kanyeria who posted a total score of 104 points.

Kinyua playing off handicap 12 anchored the team with a score of 38 points, Biriri playing off handicap 16 had the second best score of 35 points and Gathiri playing off handicap 15 posted 31 points. Kanyeria was the weakest link in the group with 29 points.

The top two groups qualified for the grand finale, with the team of Paul Muigai, Njogu Njoroge, Muchemi Gachugu and John Ngure being taken as reserves after they posted a total score of 103 points.

Coca-Cola’s Assistant Brand Manager Kenya, Steve Maikweki said: “This year’s grand finale will see the winning team of four players travel to Dubai to attend the Grand Finale of the European Tour, the DP World Tour Championship at the Jumeirah Golf Estates. While in Dubai, they will have the opportunity to see Europe’s top 60 money earners on the 2012 Order of Merit battle it out for a Sh109, 200, 000 (1.3 million dollar) winner’s cheque.”

He added: “In addition, they will play to some of the best golf courses in the region, including the Dubai Creek Course and the challenging Faldo Course at the Emirates Golf Club, a course designed by former world number one and six-time Major Champion Sir Nick Faldo.”

P. Gitonga playing off handicap 12 won the guest prize on 33 points, while Bonface Njoroge was the junior winner on 37 points and Steve Karanja won the men’s longest drive. International Jane Njoroge had the ladies’ longest drive and Njoki Nderitu had the nearest to the pin.

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