SIXTEEN MORE PLAYERS BOOK TICKETS TO DASANI GALA’S FINALE
Sigona's Karim Hirji follows his tee shot during the Dasani Gala on Saturday.
By DISMAS ONYANGO
Sixteen more players qualified for this year’s Dasani Golf Gala’s Grand finale after the series’ first double header held at the par 72 Sigona Golf Club and Nyeri Golf Club on Saturday.
In Nyeri, home club captain Eddy Karumwa teamed up with his predecessor Benjamin Inoti, James Mathenge and Daniel Weru to post the best team score of 106 points and rule the roast after beating a field of 87 players from home club Nyeri, Nyahururu Golf Club and Nanyuki.
Mathenge playing off handicap 12 anchored the team with 40 points, while Inoti playing off handicap 15 contributed 35 points and handicap 14 Karumwa amassed 31 points. Weru playing off handicap eight was the team’s weakest link on 30 points.
They won one of the qualifying slots from Nyeri to the finale slated for September 29 at the par 72 Karen Golf and Country Club the other qualifier was being picked from the Sigona leg on the same day.
Speaking on behalf of the team, Inoti acknowledged the importance of practicing noting that it was the trick behind their victory.
“After being metioned on the media that we were the team to watch, the pressure was on us and I had to limit my Friday evenings endeavors in order to perform. But the bottom line is that we have practicing a lot as a team and we promise to give a worthy representation of Nyeri Club at the finale and probably book a ticket to Dubai,” said Inoti.
The second team from Nyeri managed a team score of 100 points to also earn a ticket to the finale. The team was anchored by handicap 17 J. Gichimu who scored 38 points, while J. Maina playing off handicap 13 contributed 32 points and handicap 18 S. Kamau scored 30 points. M. Wandere playing off handicap 12 was the team’s weakest link on 27 points.
C. K. Agina was the guest winner on 33 points, while Pratik Manji playing off handicap 21 was the junior winner on 40 points and Arthur Muchiri won the men’s longest driver. The lady’s longest drive prize went to Stella Mwangi and Kimani Bow won the nearest to the pin prize.
Speaking at the function, Amos Chege, the Production Manager of Mount Kenya Bottlers said the grand prize this year will see the winning team of four players travel to Dubai to attend the Grand Finale of the European Tour, the DP World Tour Championships at the Jumeirah Golf Estates. While in Dubai, they will also have the opportunity to see Europe’s top 60 money earners on the 2012 Order of Merit battle it out for a 1.3 million winner’s cheque.
“In addition, they will play at 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 1 and six-time major Champion Sir Nick Faldo,” said Maina.
Action now moves to Eldoret Golf Club next week where eight more qualifiers would be picked from the seventh leg to be held at the Leisure Lodge Golf Club Club on Saturday.
At Sigona, Rachna Patel playing off handicap 19 achored his team to victory with 44 points, while Deep Shah and Shamil Patel scored 34 points apiece as Haren Patel was the weakest link on 27 points as they managed a team score of 112 points.
The second team posted a combined score of 111 points courtery of Eddy Kimemia’s 40 points, David Muranga’s 37 points, James Njeke’s 23 points and Jimmy Muthundo 34 points.
The guest winner at Sigona was Stella Macharia on 38 points and Bryan Kimani playing off handicap 15 won the junior prize on 44 points.