KAREN COUNTRY CLUB TO HOST INTERNATIONAL PAIRS GRAND FINALE
KGU Chairman Peter Kiguru during Prize giving ceremony at Nakuru Golf Club
By DANIELLA APIYO AND AMANDA DAMARIS
Karen Country Club will be hosting this year’s International pairs grand finale on Saturday. The top three pairs will secure slots to represent Kenya at the World international pairs tournament scheduled for October 26 to 29 at Pinheiros Altos Golf Course in Algarve, Portugal.
Kenya Golf Union (KGU) has successfully held 13 international pairs qualifying rounds so far at different clubs across the country. The top five pairs of each of the qualifiers will now be brought together on Saturday where they will rub shoulders at the Karen Country Club. A total of 65 pairs are expected to participate in the event.
The International Pairs tournament was introduced in Kenya in 2019, where the top three pairs get a fully paid sponsorship to participate in the World finals. During the inaugural 2019 edition, James Kamenchu & Anthony Murage, Michael Karanga & Stephen Kiaro, Bhamra Bilu and Sandhu R. represented the country, where they emerged third in the worldn in their debut outing.
KGU chairman Peter Kigur thanked all the sponsors that came on board, including Lake Nakuru Flamingo Resort and Spa, Windhoek Kenya, K2U Africa and all the golfers that participated in the series for their dedication and generous support.
“We look forward to even a bigger series next year and we do hope that we will get more sponsors to support these events,” said Kiguru.
He added: “International pairs series is Kenya’s most prestigious pairs tournament; indeed, one can argue that it has no equal.”
International Pairs is a worldwide golf competition for amateur club golfers with a recognized golf handicap and is arguably the World’s largest amateur pairs golf competition.
Originating in the UK in 1998 as a golf tournament to celebrate the millennium, International Pairs is now firmly established as a major event in the diaries of many golf clubs and public handicap-registered golfers worldwide.