Dismas Indiza with the trophy today

By DANIELLA APIYO AND AMANDA DAMARIS

Long hitting Dismas Indiza from Mumias Golf Club, beat Zimbabwe’s Robson Chinhoi by two shots, to claim the third leg of the 2020 Safari Tour golf series at the par 72 Vet Lab Sports Club course today.

Indiza who started the day with a five shots lead, carded one over par 73, his second similar score in two days, for an all rounds total of four under par 284, to take home the first cash prize of Sh150,000. He blamed his second shots for his lower aggregate, as well as the tough pin positions on the otherwise well nurtured greens.

“I missed a number of greens because of my second shots, I think because I was a bit tensed, but all the same I am happy beating such a strong field of young and tough professionals’’ said Indiza who got off well, picking up a birdie at the first hole but missed the greens on the third, fifth and sixth and three putted the 17th at the back nine.

“After making my birdie at the first hole I realised the others were making a mistake after another and this kind of gave me the strength to hold onto my lead’’ added Indiza who said his win has given him the confidence to try and play well at Sigona and in Uganda where he said he was going for nothing shot of a win.

“I stared the season badly I think because of having stayed for some times without competition, but now my game is fine’’.

Zimbabwean Chinhoi who won the second leg at Royal Nairobi last week also blamed the pin positions for not playing better than Royal, saying the greens are basically hilly and so when the pins are put on sloppy areas where the ball can stop, it becomes very difficult for one to score well.

“I had very good chance of winning the event if I did not miss many birdie chances, though I lost the tournament at the par three- sixth hole where I made three putts from a position I should not have missed. We come here not just to make money but also enjoy the game but when you put the pins in some crazy places, it real makes the situation rather difficult’’ said Chinhoi who birdied the fourth after dropping a shot at the third hole. He then birdied the 13th and 15th to finish the back nine on two under par and the day’s one under 71 which gave him a total of two under par 286 and a cheque of Sh70,000 having won Sh150,000 at Royal where he won the second leg with an impressive nine under par.

Zimbabwe’s Robson Chinhoi wins Safari Golf Tour at royal Nairobi Golf Club.

By DANIELLA APIYO AND AMANDA DAMARIS

Former Amateur Golfer of The Year Samuel Njoroge’s dream of clinching his maiden Safari Tour series title went up in flames following a disappointing final round at the par 72 Royal Nairobi Golf Club that saw him return a score of four over par 76 to relinquish the trophy to Zimbabwe’s Robson Chinhoi.

The Railways player who recently turned pro blamed fatigue for his failure to hold on to the lead after closing round three tied top alongside the eventual winner. Njoroge started well, making a birdie at the par five-second, then dropped two shots at the eighth and nine, and twice went into the hazard at the 11th and 12th with a late birdie coming at the 17th.

“I did not have any pressure at all, but I just could not push myself to the limit. All the same, I am happy finishing second for the second week in a row and in my second tournament as a pro,” said Njoroge

Chinhoi, who finished runners up for times in the last qualifier, clinched the leg following a brilliant round of five under par 67 in the closing round for a total of nine -under par 279. For his expolits, the Zimbabwean won Sh150,000 including a bonus for scoring under par in four rounds and 50 points while Njoroge took home Sh70,000 for his runner up position and 48 points in the Road to Magical Kenya Open 2021.
The winner birdied the first nine’s second and seventh holes, then just like in the third round, started his birdie-hunt with a three at the par four- 10th, added three more at the 15th, 17th and the par four-18th. Three putts at the par four-16th denied him a bogey-free round.

“I am excited about winning my first event in the Safari Tour, after finishing second four times. My tee shots were solid, as I made all the fairways though I also missed a number of putts particularly at the first nine where I felt a bit shaken which is normal when you are playing in the
final round and with good players,’’ said Chinhoi who played alongside Njoroge and his elder brother John Wangai in the final round.

“I have not played at Vet Lab, the venue for the next leg in the Safari Tour series. Just like it was my first time here at Royal I will try and keep it on the fairways and see how it goes,’’ added the 29 year old from Royal Harare Golf Club in Zimbabwe and who turned professional in 2017.

Round two leader Greg Snow who is now leading the list for the Open on 168.2 points, shot level par 72 in the final round to finish in third place on one over par 289, just a shot better than Golf Park’s Eric Ooko who posted one over par 73 in the closing round.