WELL OUT: Royal's Haren Patel comes from the bunker during the eight leg at the Royal Club last weekend.

By JAMES WAINDI

The 2012 Dasani Golf Gala hits the halfway mark this weekend when the par 73 Nakuru Golf Course,a scenic 18 hole course opened in 1929 and resting peacefully on the slopes of the Menengai Crater, hosts the ninth qualifying round on Saturday 21 July 2012.A total of 84 players from Nakuru (the home club),  Njoro, Naivasha, Great Rift and Gilgil will be in action.

Club captain Karinga Wambugu says, “Players will not only enjoy a round of golf at the competition, but the lovely scenery of the course which borders the famous Menengai Crater and overlooks the pink dotted Lake Nakuru.”

He went on to add, “This is one of the most challenging golf courses in the country,it plays long.This course is in superb condition, thanks to our greenkeeper
and the good rains we have experienced this year.  If you keep to the fairways, you definitely have no trouble because the fairways are well manicured and quite inviting, but a slight wrong turn would mean problems for any player.Some greens are slow, others very fast. ”

The signature hole on the course is hole 17, a par three of about 181 yards, which has a rich history in various tournaments. It has the longest donker or rather valley from the tee box to the green which is quite intimidating.Another tricky hole will be hole number 12, which is a Par 4 as it always causes trouble for both long and short hitters.”

According to Wambugu, the team to watch will be the combination of A. Nadwa, C. Angwenyi, M. Sahota and S. Mwangi of Nakuru and Njoro. He also noted that the quartet of Brother F. Njoroge, Fr. C. Kamau, Fr. A. Kipkemei, & Fr. P. Gitonga and the team comprising of D. Kimambo, L. Kamau, O. Robert and J. Kaime would be the likeliest challengers for top place in Nakuru.

The winners of this qualifying round will join winners from the eight qualifiers that have been played to date at Kiambu, Thika, Vet Lab, Winsdor,Railways,Nyali, Leisure and Royal to fight a berth to the Dasani Golf Gala’s Grand Finale to be played at the Karen Country Club on Saturday 29 September 2012 alongside winners from remaining qualifiers.

The winning team at the Grand Finale will win an all expense paid trip to Dubai where they shall witness the culmination of the “Race to Dubai” at the DP World Tour Championship at the Jumeirah Golf Estates from November 22-25 this year. While in Dubai, they shall get to sample some of the world’s best golf courses when they get to play rounds of golf at the Dubai Creek Course and the Faldo Course,located at the Emirates Club and designed by multiple masters winner Sir Nick Faldo. nike air max bw nike air max bw

LADIES POWER: An all ladies team led by Royal club lady captain Sarah Hoare (centre) receive their winners prize after winning the eighth round of the ongoing Dasani Golf Gala on Saturday.

By JAMES WAINDI

The all ladies team that won the eighth leg of the Dasani Golf Gala at the par 72 Royal Nairobi Golf Club at the weekend, plan to master the Karen Club course before the competition’s grand finale on September 29 at Karen.

Speaking on behalf of the team, Royal’s club captain Sarah Hoare said they had a challenge of repeating the feat during the grand finale and vowed to work hard and give a good account of themselves at the final event. She also said they would be driven by the desire of winning the main prize.

The grand prize this year will see the winning team of four players travel to Dubai to attend the Grand Finale of the European Tour, the DP World Tour Championships at the Jumeirah Golf Estates. While in Dubai, they will also have the opportunity to see Europe’s top 60 money earners on the 2012 Order of Merit battle it out for a 1.3 million winner’s cheque.

“At the Royal qualifier, we were all determined and in the process we played well and had a great combination, we will be more determined at the grand finale, but we certainly expect stiff competition from the home players who have mastered the course,” said Hoare.

She added: “We are going to practice well before the finale and have a feel of the Karen course in advance. We have to master the greens at Karen because in golf it is all about the short play and not the long play.”

Hoare playing off handicap 10 contributed 38 stableford points to anchor her team to a famous win on Saturday as they posted a joint score of 107 points to win the contest on countback. Other members of the team included handicap 18 Lucy Awiti (35 points), handicap seven Florence W Maina (34 points) and handicap 11 Anne Marie Vellecop (30points) who was the team’s weakest link.

The team of handicap 23 Jessica Kang, handicap 23 Wanja Kimani, handicap 18 Gatere Gathiga and Kim S. Yoon playing off handicap 19 settled for the second spot despite also amassing a similar team total of 107 points. The team was anchored by Kang on 37 points, while Kimani posted 36 points and Gathigia had 34 points. Yoon was the team’s weakest link on 26 points.

The third team was made up of Abner Onsomu, Murwithania Mugambi, Josiah Kogo and Ben Handa who posted a team score of 104 points while fourth team was made up John Odhiambo, George Odinga, Benson Wangalwa and Hesbon Ocholi who scored a team score of 103 points.

Michele Muhanda playing off handicap 18 won the guest prize on 35 points, while handicap 25 Kimutai was crowned the junior winner on 35 points and John Jume had the nearest to the pin. J.S Syan won the men’s longest drive prize at the tournament and Beatrice Kamau won the lady’s longest drive.

Action now moves to Coast next week where eight more qualifiers would be picked from the sixth leg to be held at the Karen Golf and Country Club on Saturday. canada goose femme pas cher canada goose femme pas cher