By DANIELLA APIYO AND AMANDA DAMARIS

Thika Golf Club’s Simon Ngige and Great Rift Valley Lodge and Golf Resort’s Justus Madoya impressed on the second round of the 2019 Magical Kenya Open Golf Championship to post 2-under par 140 and level-par 142 scores for the two rounds respectively; making them the only Kenyans who made the Cut for the remainder of the tournament.

Ngige, who started his round at the 10^th tee in the morning, carded a total of 37 on the back nine courtesy of three bogeys at the par-5, 12^th, the par-3, 14^th and the par-4, 15^th holes; and a couple of birdies at the par-5, 11^th and the par-3, 16^th holes. On the first nine, he carded a total of 35 thanks to a couple of bogeys at the par-4, first and the par-4, seventh; and a couple of birdies at the par-5, sixth and the par-4, ninth for a round of 1-over par 72.

Ngige, who is making his 13^th Kenya Open Golf Championship appearance, has only made the cut at the tournament twice, in 2016 and 2017, where he went on to finish 46^th and 34^th winning Euros 1,012 and Euros 1,496 respectively.

On his part, Madoya continued with his steady run at the tournament, matching yesterday’s round of 71, leaving him tied in 39^th place and firmly within the cut.

Starting at the 10^th tee in the morning, he holed a solo birdie at the par-4,13^th but picked a double bogey at the par-4, 15^th and a bogey at the par-3, 16^th to card a back nine total of 38. On the first nine, he dropped a lone shot at the par-4, third, but holed brides at the par-3, second, the par-5, Sixth and the par-4, ninth holes to card a total of 33. Madoya, who is making his sixth appearance at the Kenya Open Golf Championship, has never made the cut before at the tournament.

Meanwhile, both Greg Snow and Dismas Indiza, the top-ranking Kenyans on the 2018/19 Safari Tour Golf Series, exited the tournament with identical 3-over par 145 scores to leave them tied in 83th place; one shot off the cut line of 2-over par.

Snow started off the round steadily, holding par at the par-4, 10^th, before holing consecutive birdies at the par-5, 11^th and the par-5, 12^th. He held par on the 13^th, 14^th and 15^th holes, before hitting consecutive bogeys at the 16^th and 17^th holes to card a total of 36.

On the first nine, where he struggled with form on round one of the tournament, he carded a total of 36 courtesy of two birdies at the par-4, first and the par-4, seventh; a bogey on the par-4, third and a double-bogey on the par-5, sixth.

Snow was making his 12^th Kenya Open appearance where he has previously made the cut three times; with his best finish coming in 2014 when he finished 10^th talking home Euros 4,066.

On his part, Indiza wasted away a 2-under par 69 head start he had secured on Round One of the tournament, to return a 5-over par score on the second round to take his total for the tournament to 3-over par 145.

He had a first nine to forget, carding a total of 41 courtesy of bogeys at the first, fourth, sixth and seventh holes and a triple bogey at the third; with his solo birdie on the first nine came at the ninth hole. On the back nine, he carded a total of 35, courtesy of birdies at the 10^th, 11^th and 16^th holes. He dropped shots at the 15^th and 18^th holes.

Indiza was making an appearance at his 20^th Kenya Open Golf Championship; where he previously has made the cut nine times -with his best finish coming in 2008 when he finished 10^th taking home Euros 3,555.

Among the amateurs, Samuel Njoroge was best of the lot, finishing tied in 95^th alongside Nelson Simwa and David Wakhu.

This entry was posted on Friday, March 15th, 2019 at 8:36 PM and is filed under Golf News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.