KENYA IN FALSE START AS EAST AFRICA CHALLENGE CUP BEGIN
Retired President Mwai Kibaki is welcomed by officials of Kenya Golf Union for the opening the East Africa Golf challenge at Great Rift Valley Lodge in Naivasha which has brought together six nations.
By CORRESPONDENT
Reigning champions Kenya today started their title defense on a wrong foot as they lost three crucial points in the opening round singles, to close the day in third position behind leaders Uganda and second placed Tanzania on the first day of this year’s six-nations East Africa Challenge Cup Golf Championship currently going on at the Great Rift Valley Golf Resort in Naivasha.
Today’s round, however did not end with out hitches as Kenya’s leading amateur John Karichu did not play the player who had been drawn to meet him and became the first player to lose his match against East Africa’s longest hitter Nuru Mollel.
According to the draw, Karichu who was down at the turn, had been drawn to play with another Tanzanian John Said who instead played with Rwanda’s Augustine Habeneza who the Tanzanian beat 1-up.
The Karichu and Molell match ended with a 3-2 in favour of Mollel. The organizing committee and match referees were meeting at the time of writing, to decide Tanzania’s player swapping.
The second Kenyan to lose his match was the Great Rift Valley’s very own Justus Madoya who lost a 1-up lead to go down 2-1 to Uganda’s team captain Philip Kasozi while the other important point for Kenya to go was in the match between junior Danile Nduva who lost to another top Ugandan Willy Kitata 3-1.
Earlier, kenyan team captain Robinson Owiti had posted 8-7 win against Rwanda’s Emmanuel Habeneza as another Kenyan junior Mathew Wahome beat Akilu Haile 6-5.
The third point for the hosts came through another Kenyan junior Adel Balala who beat Burundi’s Haruna Hakizimana 8-7. Also winning his match was Tony Omuli who beat Alloys Nsabimana 5-4. William Odera gave Kenya its fifth point following his 6-5 victory against Burundi’s Harry Ndereka.
Uganda won seven matches and lost only one where the junior player Daniel Baguma was beaten by Ethiopia’s Hagos Mulu 6-5.
Day one leader board.
The new comes Ethiopia also snatched half a point from Tanzania’s Emmanuel Samuel in the only match that ended at the 18th hole that saw Tanzania wind up with six and half points.
Rwanda had three points at the end of the day, Ethiopia two and half points while Burundi lost all the matches. There are two rounds today where the day starts with the foursomes in the morning from 7am followed by the four ball better ball in the afternoon.
Speaking at the end of the day, kenyan coast Anil Shah said though he was disappointed with the results,he will still push on in the remaining rounds. “We still chances in the remaining rounds and have advised the players not to give up but push on” he said. He said in a matchplay anything was possible. “It is not over until it is over, we can still turn the tables on both Uganda and Tanzania.” cheap air max cheap air max