Dismas Indiza follows the flight of his tee on day three of the Safari Tour Golf Series at the Nyali Golf Club in August last year.

By DANIELLA APIYO AND AMANDA DAMARIS

The Kenya Open Golf Limited (KOGL) has today released dates for the 2019/2020 Safari Tour Golf Series. The revamped series will now include 12 events across four East African countries; with seven events being held in Kenya, three in Uganda and one each in Rwanda and Tanzania.

Commenting on the 2019/2020 schedule, Patrick Obath, the Safari Tour Tournament Director, said that going into East African was part of the request from His Excellency President Uhuru Kenyatta.

“When we mooted the idea of a Professional golf tour in Kenya, we were asked by President Uhuru Kenyatta to include our junior golfers of either gender, our elite amateur golfers and to ensure that we invite and include our brothers and sisters from the East African region. We have been in discussions with the golf leadership in Uganda, Rwanda and Tanzania and we are delighted to announce that the Safari Tour will now be played in those nations,” he said.

In Uganda, the well-established Uganda Open, with a US$50,000 prize fund, will now be part of the Safari Tour as will the Entebbe Open and Kitante Open tournaments.

“The Uganda Open and the Rwanda Open will now be part of the Safari Tour and what this simply means is that Pros participating in those events will earn points on the Safari Tour ranking enabling them to qualify for the Magical Kenya Open in a fair and transparent manner. We are still in discussions with Tanzania on dates and venues for a leg of the Safari Tour there,” Obath added.

The Nyali Golf and Country Club will once more host the first event of the Safari Tour season from the 24^th to 28^th of August 2019.

“Registration for membership of the Tour and for entry into the first event at Nyali is open on www.safaritour.golf and we invite all golf professionals across East Africa and across Africa to register and join us. We are also inviting the top junior and elite amateurs of either gender to register and join us, this Tour is keen to promote not only the Professional golfers but also our juniors and top amateurs who aspire to play Professional golf soon,” Obath said.

From Nyali, the series will move to Uganda, for the Uganda Open at the Lake Victoria Serena Golf Club, on the 10^th -14^th of September. The Royal Nairobi Golf Club will host the third leg of the Tour on the 12^th – 16^th of October, before heading back to Uganda for the fourth leg at the Entebbe Golf Club on the 30^th October to 2^nd of November.

There series will make its way across East Africa making stops at the Kigali Golf Club, Great Rift Valley Golf Club, Muthaiga Golf Club, Thika Greens, Sigona Golf Club, Uganda Golf Club and the Karen Country Club.

All legs of the Safari Tour will have a minimum total prize fund of US$10,000.

Safari Tour Calendar 2019/20

Event 1 Nyali Golf and Country Club 24th – 28th August 2019 (US$10,000)
Event 2 Uganda Open (Lake Victoria Serena) 10th – 14th September 2019 (US$50,000)
Event 3 Royal Nairobi Golf Club 12th – 16th October 2019 (US$10,000)
Event 4 Entebbe Open (Entebbe Golf Club) 30th Oct – 2nd Nov 2019 (US$10,000)
Event 5 Rwanda Open (Kigali Golf Club) 6th – 9th November 2019 (US$30,000 TBC)
Event 6 Great Rift Valley Golf Club 23rd – 27th November 2019 (US$10,000)
Event 7 Muthaiga Golf Club 14th – 18th December 2019 (US$10,000)
Event 8 Thika Greens 4th – 8th January 2020 (US$10,000)
Event 9 Sigona Golf Club 25th – 29th January 2020 (US$10,000)
Event 10 Kitante Open (Uganda Golf Club) 12th – 15th February 2020 (US$10,000 TBC)
Event 11 Karen Country Club 22nd -26th February  2020 (US$10,000)
Event 12 Tanzania Open (Kiligolf) (US$10,000 TBC)

Overall Winner-Taimur Malik from Muthaiga Golf Club.

By DANIELLA APIYO AND AMANDA DAMARIS

Home player Taimur Malik shook off a slow start to play an impressive three under par 68 in the final round of the three-day annual Junior Golf Foundation (JGF) Junior Strokeplay Championship at the par 71 Muthaiga Golf Club to be crowned champion.

The youngster had started off the championship with a eight over par 79 score in the first round played on Monday and followed it up with a three over par 74 in the second round played on Tuesday morning to tie third at an aggregate score of 153.

He got better in the third round played on Tuesday afternoon as he dropped just two shots for two over par 73 and an aggregate of 226 going into the final round.

His brilliance on the course in the final round played yesterday morning, where he was returned the only under par score in the tournament’s four rounds, saw him crowned the overall gross winner with a 294 aggregate score.

The home players dominated in this championship as Mutahi Kibugu was crowned gross winner in the 16-21 years category after playing a steady round of golf for an aggregate score of 297 for second place overall. Kibugu fired rounds of 78, 72, 73 and 74 for the final score.

On his part, Zubair Khan had a final round to forget as he returned a score of eight over par 79 which saw him drop to third place overall and picked the runners up prize in the 16-21 category.

The Muthaiga youngster had played for five over par 76 to take a two-shot lead from club-mate Kibugi in the first round. He was in his best form in this championship on the second round as he shot one over par 72 to maintain a lead half-way through the tournament.

A third round score of three over par 74 had set Khan of the path of victory but he dropped eight shots in the final round yesterday for an aggregate score of 301to rank third overall.

Leo Zurovac was crowned champion in the 14-15 years category after rounds of 87, 75, 80 and 72 for 314 gross score. Andrew Wahome won in the 13 and under category after an aggregate score of 327.

The tournament, which was organised by the Junior Golf Foundation and sponsored by Crown Paints Limited, is one of the World Ranking events in the country.