KCB Group HR Director Paul Russo in a past KCB Road to the Masters series.

By DANIELLA APIYO AND AMANDA DAMARIS

Anan Chandaria, Jimmy Merali and 15 year-old handicap 4 junior Adam Tayebjee are among the 220 amateur golfers lined up for the first round of the KCB Road To The Masters series which tees off at the Par 72 Sigona Golf Club course on Saturday  February 23.

Tayebjee is one of the promising talents from Sigona’s production line having completed a three-round total of 227 gross to claim the Windsor Junior Strokeplay Championship at par-72 Windsor Golf Hotel and Country Club course last year. 

The Road To The Masters opener has attracted a sizable chunk of single handicapped golfers including Ronak Malde, currently playing off handicap 5. Malde will  grace the event which marks the start of the five-leg journey in the run to the third edition of KCB Karen Masters which will celebrate its second straight year as a Sunshine Tour sanctioned event.

Also in Sigona mix is Lady Captain Isabella De Souza who will be among those fighting for the ladies’ top prize and a qualifying slot at stake.

Sigona round will not feature professionals who will be engaged in the Windsor round of the Safari Tour golf series.

Sigona event will ascertain the first batch of six qualifiers to the Karen Masters Pro-Am which will curtain raise the Sunshine Tour event. The six qualifiers in each club will be the Men Winner, Lady Winner, Guest Winner, Staff Winner, Junior Winner and a Wild Card slot to be determined at the Club’s discretion.

Sigona resident Professional CJ Wangai who is also the Captain of Professional Golfers of Kenya (PGK) said the course condition is in splendid emerald state.

“The fairways are looking quite nice and greens really firm and fast, thanks to our automated irrigation system which has rendered them lush green. The Road to the Masters comes a week before Sigona Bowl which is traditionally held when the course is at its best,” said Wangai.

Among the staff golfers lined up for the Sigona showdown are KCB Group Human Resource Director Paul Russo, the Group’s Chief Finance Officer Lawrence Kimathi, Finance Director Samuel Munyua and Corporate Communications Manager Peter Mwaura who incidentally is the Golf captain at Ruiru Sports Club. Mwaura was one of the golfers who qualified for last year’s Karen Masters after winning the Limuru staff prize.  

KCB Marketing Director Angela Mwirigi said: “We appreciate the confidence the golfing fraternity has on our brand and we certainly see this as a long term partnership with mutual benefits both for the golfers in the region but for the Bank as well in terms of extending its reach across the country.”

The Prize money for the pros will be split into 60/40 for each leg.  The 60% will be prize money for the top 15 pro finishers and 40% will be set aside as a bonus amount for those who meet the set scores for the different courses. 

Kenyan Pros who have qualified for this year’s Magical Kenya Open pose for a photo at the end of the Windsor leg of the Safari Tour Golf Series.

By DANIELLA APIYO AND AMANDA DAMARIS

Nine Kenyan players, who have qualified to play at this year’s Magical Kenya Open Golf Championship, have been named following the conclusion of the 2018/2019 Safari Tour Golf series today at the Windsor Golf Hotel and Country Club. Two players tied for eighth spot – the Safari Tour Golf Series qualifying cut-off for the Kenya Open – pushing the number of players qualifying to nine.

Muthaiga Golf Club’s Greg Snow leads the team of nine professional player having accrued a total of 113.5 points across the six Safari Tour golf series. Greg has been dominant, taking maximum points in four of the six Safari Tour events, to take top spot on the Road to Kneya Open ranking. He has featured at the Kenya Open 11 times with his best finish coming in 2014 when he finished 10^th.

He is joined by Mumias Golf Club’s Dismas Indiza who amassed 111 points after a consistent performance across the Safari Tour to finish second. Indiza has featured at the Kenya Open 19 times; with his best finish being tenth in the 2008 edition.

Windsor’s Rizwan Charania booked third spot on the Road to Kenya Open ranking having amassed a total of 79 points; with his win of the Windsor leg of the tour cementing third spot. He has played at the Kenya Open 14 times; his best finish coming in 2017.

Muthaiga Golf Club’s Greg Snow poses with the three Safari Tour Trophies he has won to leave him top of the Road to Kenya Open ranking. He leads the Kenyan contigent which has qualified for this year’s Magical Kenya

David Wakhu, who won the Nyali Golf and Country Club leg of the Sadfari Tour Golf Series, finished fourth on the Road to the Kenya Open ranking, with a total of 72 points; while the Professional Golfers of Kenya Captain, John Wangai, finished fifth with 68.5 points. He has featured at the Kenya Open on six occasions.

Thika Golf Club’s, Simon Ngige, finished sixth with 66.5 points and shall now take part at his 13^th Kenya Open tournament; while Golf Park’s Tony Omuli will be taking part at his seventh Kenya Open event having finished in seventh place on the Road to Kenya Open ranking with 53.5 points.

Meanwhile, Vet Lab Sports Club’s Nelson Simwa and Windsor’s David Opati tied for eighth with 51 points apiece to complete the list of nine Kenyan players at this year’s tournament. The Safari Tour Golf Series, which was launched in August last year, formed the qualification tournament for Kenyan players taking part this year’s Kenya Open.

The nine pros join six amateur players who have already qualified to play at this year’s Magical Kenya Open Championship; these are Daniel Nduva, Samuel Njoroge, Mike Kisia, Edwin Mudanyi, Bradley Mogire and Mutahi Kibugu.