By FIDEL ONO ( Writer)

A record field of  195  players teed off at Royal Nairobi Golf Club for the penultimate qualifying round of the Mumias Sugar Company-sponsored Natural Sweetness Golf Series on Saturday with  handicap  two Bo Ciera heading the list of winners after scoring 73 nett in the 0-5 handicap category. Youngster, Jonathan Chebukati (5), was the other low handicap qualifier three strokes back at 76 nett.

In the category of 6-10 handicappers, J. Ichangi beat G. Maina on countback as  both players  joined the party heading to Limuru in November;  they scored 70 nett. Oscar Ikinu hit one of the best scores of the day, 68 nett , to top the  category of  11-15 handicapped players,  two strokes better than fellow qualifier G.M. Njiiri who pencilled 70 nett.

S. Lokonyo and K. Pirbhai went through from a host of other players in the 16-20 handicap category, scoring 69 nett and 71 nett, respectively. N. Ooko  (69 nett) and S. Lakhani (71 nett) were the top performers  in the handicap 21-25 category.  Satish Shah and K. Vital concluded the list of 12 qualifiers from the Royal Nairobi Golf Club event with impressive scores of 67 nett and 68 nett, respectively in the handicap 26-36 category. They join another 140 players from across the country, who has qualified for the November 2, 2012 finals at Limuru Country Club.

Muthaiga’s Philip Kungu beat about 30 guests invited to the tournament to make away with the guest prize, having scored 69 nett ahead of E. Ouko (71 nett) and S. Karemu (71 nett) in second and third place, respectively.

Mumias Sugar Company Chief Executive, Peter Kebati, playing with single handicappers Ben Handa and Vice Captain Jack Okuku, as well as Victor Kidiwa took the staff prize with a respectable score of 71 nett. The final qualifier is scheduled for Nyanza Club on October 13, 2012.

“This was a really good turnout and goes to show how much our series has grown in one short year and become popular and is an encouragement to us as we head into the finals in Limuru,” said Kebati during the prize presentation ceremony.

The boss of the country’s leading sugar maker hinted that professionals may be invited to spice up the finals in Limuru but added that the details were yet to be worked out.

“We know that the professionals will add that little bit more flavour to our season-ender and are thinking of how we can have them involved in the finals,” he added.

The Natural Sweetness Golf Series was launched in March 2012 to take golf to over 30 clubs with events in 14 different venues countrywide. The series has already been to various clubs including Kenya Railways Golf Club, Karen Country Club, Thika Sports Club, Limuru Country Club, Sigona Golf Club, Muthaiga Golf Club,    Nakuru Golf Club,   Vetlab Sports Club,  Vipingo Ridge Golf Resort and  Mumias Golf Club.

The stroke-play 18-hole event   is open to all Confederation of Golf Unions (CONGU)-handicapped players in the following handicap categories: 1-5, 6-10, 11-15, 16-20, 21-25 and 26-36.  Two players qualify from each handicap category.

The finals will be held at Limuru Country Club on November 12, 2012. canada goose pas cher canada goose pas cher

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