By FIDEL ONO (Writer)

Home player Hardeep Sokhi braved strong challenge to beat a large field of 212 players and emerge the overall winner of the NIC Bank Golf Day at the par 72 Royal Nairobi Golf Club on Saturday.

Sokhi playing off handicap 21 posted 22 stableford points in the first nine, before carding 20 points in the back nine for a total of 42 points and in the process carried the day.

He sunk a birdie on the par five second hole, leveled par four third and fifth holes as well as the ninth hole. In the second nine he leveled par four 11^th hole and par three 13^th.

Chetan Solanki needed a second nine score of 22 stableford points to beat Jackson Katitu and Kenneth Kaunda on count back and settle for the men winner’s prize. Solanki scored a total of 39 points (17, 22).

Katitu playing off handicap five settled for the men’s runner-up position on 39 points (18, 21), while hsndicap 13 Kaunda was third on 39 points (21, 18).

Lucy Awiti playing off handicap 18 emerged the lady winner in the day long tournament after she amassed an impressive 41 points (22, 19) and she was followed closely by handicap 17 Evelyn Noah who scored 40 points (22, 18).

Jesse Mugambi was the junior winner on 37 points (18, 19), while Michael Kinuthia playing off handicap 20 emerged as the staff winner on 33 points (17, 16) and handicap 17 Ken Njoroge won the guest prize on 36 points (19, 17). Handicap 23 Mike Muhoro was the men runner-up on 35 points (17, 18), beating Maina Mwangi on countback.

Kenya Golf Union (KGU) official Francis Okwara playing off handicap 12 won the first nine prize after posting 22 points, while the second nine prize went to handicap 24 Augustine Monyo who posted 20 points.

Handicap four Quaram Bhatti won the men’s longest drive, while the ladies longest drive prize went to Fridah Shiroya. Handicap 11 Shabbir Bhati had the men’s nearest to the pin and Mary Chebukati playing off 14 won the ladies’ nearest to the pin prize.

Handicap 16 Enock Sasia went home with the best effort prize after he managed a mere 14 points in total.

The highlight of the tournament, however, was when club captain Darshan Mistry sunk a hole-in-one on the par three 13^th hole, forcing him to ring the bell at the club after the prize giving.

“It feels great, it is my first hole-in-one in my golf career. I used a pitching wedge to send the ball into the hole from 133 yards away,” said a cheerful Mistry.

Speaking on behalf of the sponsors, Tim Gitonga, the NIC Bank’s head of business banking said the series had been a success and promised next year’s series would be bigger and better.

This was the second edition of the NIC Golf Series and it visited nine golf courses around the country before the final at Royal. nike huarache femme pas cher nike huarache femme pas cher

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