HOME PLAYER MADOYA TAKES THREE SHOTS LEAD AT GREAT RIFT VALLEY LEG OF SAFARI TOUR
Great Rift Valley’s Jastas Madoya in action.
By DANIELLA APIYO AND AMANDA DAMARIS
Home professional Justus Madoya got off to flying start, firing four under par 67, to grab a three shots lead as sixth leg of the 2020/2021 Safari Tour Golf series got under way at the Great Rift Valley Golf Resort Naivasha today.
Courtesy of a bogey-free first nine, Madoya managed to jump to the top, leaving Nyali Golf and Country Club’s amateur Adel Balala in second place.
“Usually I start poorly and then do recovery bit, but I am happy I started well this time round and I am hoping this is the beginning of a good week’’ said Madoya in an interview with the press after his round. He made birdies at the par four-first, third, fifth and sixth holes.
He also started the back nine well though a double-bogey at the par three-15th following an early single bogey at the 13th almost ruined the day for him though he managed to recover with two birdies at the 14th and 16th .
“The course is playing well and probably easy to score if one stays on target and has enough patience for the greens’’ added Madoya who said he hopes to build up his opening round with probably better scores in the remaining rounds.
Following Madoya in second place was amateur Adel Balala from Nyali Golf and Country Club Mombasa who shot one under par 70 despite missing a number of birdie chances particularly at the back nine where he dropped a shot at the 13th.
He had made two birdies at the front nine’s third and sixth holes, a good foundation though birdies became elusive at the back nine. “ I hit very good shots at the back nine and was all the time on regulation but I could make some birdies though in am happy starting on under par score’’ said Balala.
Two players including Uganda Open champion Robson Chinhoi of Zimbabwe meanwhile tied for third place on level par 71, while Uganda’s Deo Akope was on one over par 72.
Chinhoi who shot an amazing 15 under par in the Uganda Open on a tough condition course, started of with a birdie at the first hole in yesterday’s first nine and concluded it with a birdie at the ninth with a bogey at the fourth.
He then bogeyed the 12th and 15th with only two birdies at the 13th and 17th leveling the day to tie with Uganda’s Abbey Bagalana who made five birdies but against a similar number of bogeys one of them being at the home green.
A total of 45 players made the first round cut out of the field of 48 players. Today’s second round is set for 9am.
The leader board after Day One:
- Justus Madoya 67
- Adel Balala(A) 70
3. Robson Chinhoi (Zim) 71
Abbey Bagalana (UG) 71
- Deo Akope 72
- Dismas Indiza 73
Jacob Okello 73
- Njuguna Ngugi 74
David Wakhu 74
Greg Snow 74