BEST AMATEUR: David Opati poses with the golfer of the year trophy after being crowned the winner of Nyali Open yesterday. Photo by JAMES WAINDI.

By JAMES WAINDI (Chief Editor)

Golf Park’s David Opati was on Sunday crowned the 2012 golfer of the year in style with a win at the season ending Nyali Open Golf Championship at the par 71 Nyali Club.

Opati playing off handicap +3 posted a total score of one over par 214 gross to emerge the overall winner of the 54-hole competition. He started off the first round on Saturday morning on a one under par 70 gross, and played an identical one over par 72 gross in the last two rounds to claim the trophy.

With the win, Opati bagged 12 points towards the GOTY rankings to end the series on 114.10 points. Vet Lab’s Nelson Simwa who at one point threatened to challenge Opati for the GOTY title, finished a distance second on 78.25 points.

“I have no words to express my joy, especially having won this year’s Coast Open and now the Nyali Open, a tournament I had never won in my golfing career,” said Opati who is also the national golf team captain.

Home player and international Daniel Nduva playing off handicap three was the tournament’s gross runner  up on a round total of 221 (72, 71, 78) and E. Ooko was third on a score of 224 gross.

Having been declared as the 2012 Best Golfer in the country, Opati has now secured an automatic ticket to participate in the Kenya Open Championship to be held on 13^th to 17^th February 2013 at Karen Golf and Country Club.

During the prize giving ceremony held at Nyali Golf and Country club on Sunday, the Kenya Golf Union (KGU) Chairman Alfred Kariuki congratulated the winners and thanked Keringet for sponsoring the KGU GOTY events 2012.

The Chairman also thanked Nyali International Beach Hotel for sponsoring Nyali Open. He lauded all golfers who have participated in GOTY events and also reiterated the commitment of the Union in developing the game of golf through junior golf development.

During the ceremony, the KGU Chairman also announced that the Union will be adopting new system of awarding points in order to motivate players to participate in large numbers during GOTY events.

The 2013 GOTY season starts with Sigona Bowl on 18^th and 19^th January 2013. maillot de foot pas cher maillot de foot pas cher

EYING TROPHY: David Opati in action at the on going Nyali Open at Nyali Club.

By FIDEL ONO (Writer)

Local top amateur golfer David Opati put aside his horrifying experience in the hands of suspected terrorists on Thursday night to take an early lead at this year’s Nyali Open Golf Championships at the par 71 Nyali Club course.

Opati who travelled for the tournament by road found himself in the same bus with suspected terrorists and had to be held at a police station for close to six hours.

Once he took the course, he braved the scorching heat to lead the first two rounds on one under par 70 gross, to move closer to clinching the tournament for the first time in his golfing career and be crowned the golfer of the year in style.

The Golf Park player, playing off plus three, started off the first par five hole on a bright note with an albatross and followed it with a birdie on the par three-sixth hole before rolling level pars on the rest of the holes for three over par 33 gross in the opening nine.

In the second nine he played six level pars, sank a birdie on the par five-eleventh hole, dropped a shot on the par four –thirteenth hole and had a double bogey on the par five 17^th hole to amass 37 gross.

‘I am happy with my display today, because this course is normally very unpredictable. In 2009 I played three under in the morning, but the story was different in the afternoon where I played eight over due to very strong winds,’said Opati.

Opati will be crowned the golfer of the year 2012 today (Sunday)  as no one can reach his mark in the Golfer of the year ( GOTY)  standings even if he finished 10^th at the Nyali Open.

International Junior and national team player Daniel Nduva playing off handicap three was in hot  pursuit of Opati, taking the second place on one over par 72 gross, while former national golf team captain Francis Kimani had a three over  par 74 gross to be perched at the third place.

Others among the top ten were Gurbux Singh (Nyali) 75, Tony Omuli (Royal) 75, Eric Ooko (Royal) 75, Alan Dainty (Mombasa) 76, Jeremy Wahome (Nyali) 77. maillot de foot maillot de foot