Left to right, Coca-Cola Country Manager, Jorsen Patten, Giginder Padam, Coca-Cola's Peter Njonjo, last year winners John Wangai, Abbas Nasser and Nairobi Bottlers Chairman Chris Kirubi

By JAMES WAINDI

Stakes will be raised on Saturday when the nine-hole Vet Lab Golf Club hosts the third qualifier of the 2012 Dasani Golf Gala.

So far four teams have already qualified for the grand finale set for September 29 at the Karen Golf and Country Club after the first two qualifiers held at the Kiambu Golf Club and Thika Sports Club and top action will be guaranteed at Vet Lab as well as players scramble for the limited two slots.

The club’s resident professional player Ali Kimani has said the course is in a great condition with good fairways, but has noted that the greens are pretty fast.

“Players should expect a tough course. We have only witnessed a score of 37 points in the last seven weeks, so anything near to 36 points will be a great score. The fairways are in a great condition because we have cleared the rough, but the tricky part will certainly be the green,” said Ali.

Last year’s lady golfer of the year Mary Karano will be among the players expected to spice-up the daylong event which has been sponsored by Coca Cola through its Dasani brand.

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.

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 1 and six-time major Champion Sir Nick Faldo. pandora joyeria pandora joyeria

Foreign golfers practicing putting.

By JAMES WAINDI
FORMER champions Adalson da Silva and Tyronne Ferreira are among 26 foreign golfers who have withdrawn from the 2012 Indo-Zambia Open Golf Championship set to tee off next Wednesday.
Kenya’s top professional Dismas Indiza is also said to have turned a cold shoulder to the prestigious championship is set for Lusaka Golf club, despite having been listed as one of the players for the challenge.
Brazil’s Da silva and Ferreira of South Africa, including two Englishmen, have withdrawn from the event, which is among the richest on the Sunshine Tour calendar.
Da Silva won the 2010 Zambia Open to become the first South American to win the title.
Ferreira, a seasoned campaigner on South Africa’s Sunshine Tour calendar, won the 2008 tournament- the last to be held in Lusaka at Chainama Hills Golf club.
According to Sunshine Tour website, others who have withdrawn from the tournament are Chris Swanepoel, Greg Petzer, Wendell Bossenger (all South Africa), Neil Cheetham, Jeff Inglis (England) and Scotsman Allan Mclean.
Others include Aron Zammer (Italy), Sung-Moon Hohng (South Korea), Robson Saurombe (Zimbabwe), Raymond Mathews, Meshack Zwane (Swaziland), Andrew Odoh (Nigeria), Tsiefsi Mofokeng (Lesotho).
The rest are Warren Abery, Justin Walters, Joshua Cunliffe, Jaco Anhlers, Lyle Rowe, Peter Karmis, Hendrik Burhmman, Francois Houghton, Beyers Smith, George Brown and Garry Hill, all from South Africa.
The entries now stand at 134 among them former champions Steve Basson, Desvonde Botes and last year’s winner Douglas McGuigan of South Africa.
United States of America- based golfer Madalitso Phiri leads a list of 22 Zambian professionals and amateurs who have entered the tournament.
Others are Michael Chiluba, Beza Daka, Dayne Moore, Patrick Mwendapole, Prashant Vaghela, Obed Sholoma, Kelvin Phiri and Mohammad Zulu.
Aaron Simfukwe, Geoffrey Banda, Fidelis Malembeka and Paul Tembo are on the 11-man reserve list that includes three South Africans.
Indo-Zambia Bank has staked US$150,000 (about K750 million) into the tournament as lead sponsors while Konkola Copper Mines has invested US$100,000 (about Ksh8.5 million). michael kors bolsos michael kors bolsos