WAKHU LEADS KENYA PROFESSIONALS CHARGE AS SAVANNAH CLASSIC GOLF TEES OFF AT KAREN
David Wakhu follows his tee shot at Karen Club today.
By DANIELLA APIYO AMANDA DAMARIS
The inaugural European Tour’s Savannah Classic teed off to a blistering pace at the par 71 Karen Country Club today, with Kenyan professional golfers posted mixed results, even as they hope to have more of them making cut after today’s round.
Golf Park’s David Wakhu, seemingly having learned from the Magical Kenya Open where he had a slow start and watched as his impressive four under par 67 went to waste as he missed cut, started the first round at the Classic on a high to finish as the best place Kenyan, tied 12th.
Teeing off at the par-four first hole, he pared the first two, dropped a shot at the par-four third but picked a birdie at the par five sixth to level the front nine at 35 out. He had a better back nine, playing a bogey-free nine holes with three birdies and an eagle at the par-five 11th for 31 in and a total round of five under par 66.
He broke his own record of the lowest score set by a Kenyan at a European Tour event at Karen, which he set last week in the second round of the Open when he played four under par 67.
“I started the round today under pressure. I hit my first tee shot on the right and it looked like I didn’t have a shot to go to the green but I bailed myself out and saved a par. That gave me alot of courage. I knew I just needed to focus a shot at a time. I have been looking forward to being able to handle the pressure and swing with alot of freedom to enjoy the game and I am happy I am there. For the second round I will just stick to my strategy, maintain my composure and hope every will be okay,” said Wakhu.
Railways golf club’s professional golfer Samuel Njoroge, who was the only Kenyan to make cut at last week’s Magical Kenya Open leveled the course.
Starting the day at the par-four tenth, Njoroge had a good start, picking a birdie but lost his advantage in the next hole as he dropped a shot at the par-five eleventh, parred the 12th hole and dropped another shot at the par four 13th for 37 in.
Hi picked a birdie at the par-five sixth, bogeyed the par four eight but picked a birdie in his final hole, par-four ninth to level the course and put himself in a good place to make cut again.
Riz Charania, on his part, recovered from a one over par 37 on the back nine where he started playing to pick three birdies and two bogeys on the front nine for level par.
Muthaiga’s Greg Snow dropped a shot at the par-four 13th and 18th to his chance of carrying a two under par card to the second round, as he leveled the course as well.
Meanwhile, Mumias long hitter Dismas Indiza had a better start, compared to his game at the Kenya Open where he finished the first round at five over par 76, as he carded one over par 72 after a poor game in the back nine. The 52-year old played a bogey-free front nine, with two birdies but dropped four shots in the back nine, including a triple bogey on holes 13, 14 and 15 for the final score.