PROMISING: Nyali's youngster Daniel Nduva follows his tee shot during the Chartis Insurance Golf Day at the par 71 Nyali Golf and Country Club at the weekend.

By JAMES WAINDI

A last minute level par addition at the shortest par three of the par 71 Nyali Country Cly, the eighteenth hole was enough to propel Suhas Gudka to Victory in this year’s annual Chartis Insurance Tournament.

The one day stable ford tournament played at the weekend which was sponsored by Chartis Insurance Company, saw Gudka post a count back score of 39 stable ford points to emerge the overall winner.

Playing off handicap 32, Gudka rolled the only level par on the par three-sixth hole and a mixed pot of bogeys in the outward nines for 19 points.

She returned in the inward nines posting two level pars in the par-three-tenth and the last hole with another set of mixed bogeys in the rest of the holes to add 20 points   to claim the victory in the event that attracted 120 golfers from golf clubs of Nyali, Mombasa, Leisure, Vipingo, Malindi and guests of the sponsors with valid handicaps.

“I am glad to have won the event, although it was not easy due to the slippery greens and tough pin positions,” said Gudka.

She tied on the same points with Oliver Khabure who was declared the Men’s winner and Kim Lanxe was the runner up on a point behind.

Kelli Muindi scored a count back score of 37 points for the third place, tying on the same points with Allan Dainty who was placed fourth.

Farida Saeed who also posted 37 points was declared the Lady Winner and the former Mombasa Golf Club Lady Captain Margaret Mugambi was the runner up on a score of 36 points.

Schoolboy and National junior golfer Daniel Golfer was the junior on a score of 36 while John Smith scored 34 points to claim the Best Senior Slot.

George Gathuri was the Guest Winner on a score of 34 points and Steve Likonyo had 23 points to claim the Staff prize while Nearest to the pin prize was won by John Riley.

Wanjiru Ikua and Rohit Devani were the winners of the best first nine and second nines respectively. airmaxoutlets airmaxoutlets

ALL SMILES: Lady golfersNelius Kariuki (left) and Irene Maina smile after finishing their round of golf at the third qualifier of the Dasani Golf Gala at Vet Lab Club on Saturday.

By JAMES WAINDI

A combined effort by Ochieng Abekah and Michael Kinuthia steered their team to victory at the third Dasani Golf Gala qualifier held at the par 71, nine-hole Vet Lab Golf Club on Saturday.

The winning team made of Abekah, Kinuthia, Sankale Olekantai and Martin Mkundi amassed a total of 102 points and in the process booked a ticket to the Gala’s grand finale slated for September 29 at the Karen Golf and Country Club.

Abekah playing off handicap seven posted 35 points, while Kinuthia playing off handicap 25 contributed 35 points and handicap 14 Olenkatai posted 32 points. Martin Mkundi playing off handicap 10 was the team’s weakest link on 28 points, but remained adamant noting that he played a relaxed game knowing that his members would guarantee qualification and vowed to show his true colours come the grand finale.

In his round, Abekah had a par on the par four second hole, but played a double bogey on the par four hole five, then recovered with three back-to-back pars on holes six, seven and eight, before sinking a birdie on the par four hole nine for a first nine score of 18. In the second nine, he had five pars to register a score of 17 points.

“Today I went to church as usual and maybe this is where the blessing came from. I found when my team members had already finished playing and they were cheering me at the final hole expecting me to play at least 30 points and I gave them 35 points instead,” said Abekah during the prize giving.

He added: “I promise to lead this team to victory during the grand finale and book a ticket to Dubai. I am going to make sure that each member of this group practice frequently before the finale.”

Kinuthia on the other hand had a false start in the opening nine where he had three double bogeys for a score of 15, but he recovered in the second nine where he picked 20 points.

The second best team in the competition was made up of John Kisolo, Njani Ndiritu, Francis Mwangi and Simon Mbugua, who posted a combined score of 97 points to book a ticket to the grand finale as well. Kisolo playing off handicap 18 scored the day’s best score of 36 points, while handicap nine Ndiritu posted 32 points and Mwangi playing off handicap nine had 29 points. Simon Mbugua playing off handicap 24 was the team’s weakest link on 29 points.

The reserve team which comprised of Amos Kale (34), Peter Sinkira (32), Japheth Njenga (30) and Nicholas Imbugwa (27) managed a team score of 96 points.

Royal Nairobi Club’s Avnish Bhandari playing off handicap three won the guest prize on 30 points, while Muthaiga’s handicap 27 Jay Mullick was the junior winner on 34 points and Elisha Ogonji had the nearest to the pin. Amon Kale had the men’s longest drive and Jane Kangethe won the women’s longest drive prize.

The grand prize for the 2012 Gala will see the eventual winning team of four players travel to Dubai to attend the Grand Finale of the European Tour-the DP World Tour Championship at the Jumeirah Golf Estates.

“While in Dubai they will have the opportunity to see Europe’s best 60 money earners on the 2012 Order of Merit battle it out for a Ksh110.5 million (1.3 million dollars) winner’s cheque. In addition they will play at some of the best golf courses in the region, including the Dubai Creek Course and the Challenging Faldo Course at the Emirates Golf Club, a course designed by former world number one and six time Major Champion Sir Nick Faldo,” said Steven Maikweki, the Coca-Cola Assistant Brand Manager, Kenya, during the prize giving. air max blancas air max blancas