Johnnie Walker-sponsored Greg Snow poses with the Safari Golf Tour Series trophy after winning the Karen Country Club leg of the tournament.

By DANIELLA APIYO AND AMANDA DAMARIS

Muthaiga Golf Club’s Greg Snow shot an impressive round of 68 on the last day of the final leg of the 2019/2020 season of the Safari Golf Tour Series at the Karen Country Club to emerge winner of the tournament with a total score of 4-under par 280.

He started off the round with a bogey at the par-4 first before holing consecutive birdies at the par-3 second, the par-4 third and the par-3 fourth holes before holing another birdie at the par-5 sixth to card a front nine score of 32.

On the back nine, he got off to a birdie at the 10^th and followed it up with another at the 12^th before holing yet another birdie at the 14^th to go 6-under par for the day. He however shot a double bogey at par-4 15^th and another at the par-4 18^th to card a back nine total of 36. With the Karen win, the Johnnie Walker-sponsored Snow banked KShs 450,000 and took his wins for the season to five – the most of anybody on the calendar.

At the same time, Thika Golf Club’s Simon Ngige shot an impressive round of 2-under par 69 to take his total for the tournament to 1-over par 285; seeing him clinch second place and banking KShs 300,000.

He started off his round with a total of 32 on the front nine having holed birdies at the second, sixth, seventh and ninth and having dropped a single shot at the fifth. On the back nine, he had a tough outing, carding 37 courtesy of bogeys at the 11^th, 13^th, 15^th and having only holed birdies at the 12^th and the 17^th.

Meanwhile, Dismas Indiza completed the podium places after he ended his Karen Country Club campaign with a round of 72 to take his total to 2-over par 286; having carded 36 on the front nine and another 36 on the back nine. For his performance, he took home KShs 240,000. Meanwhile, Royal Nairobi’s Golf Club finished fourth at the tournament, taking home KShs 225,000 after he shot a round of 72 on the fnal day to take his total to 3-over par 287.

Zimbabwe golfer, Robinson Chinhoi, ended his outing at the tournament as the highest ranked regional player after he shot the lowest score of the week, a 4-under 67 taking his total to 4-over 288. He finished tied in fifth alongside Muthaiga’s Geoffrey Makokha. On his part, Zambian Madalitso Muthiya finished in eighth place with a 5-over par 289 score.

Meanwhile, the list of eight Kenyan players who have qualified to play at this year’s Kenya Open was announced today.  Dismas Indiza, who finished the season as the overall leader of the Road to Kenya Open Ranking, Simon Ngige, Greg Snow, Erik Ooko, David Wakhu, C.J. Wangai, Riz Charania and Jastas Madoya complete the list of Kenyans to play at the Kenya Open. Robson Chinhoi and Nigerian Andrew Odoh are the two regional players who will play at the Kenya Open having qualified through the Safari Tour.  Two other regional players, Toto Thimba and Jayden Schaper from South Africa, have been invited to play at the tournament.

Season Three of the Safari Tour resumes starting May this year with an increased number of tournaments across four East African countries – Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Rwanda.

Safari Tour Calendar 2019/2020:

Event 1 Nyali Golf and Country Club: 24th – 28th August 2019 (Winner: Greg Snow)

Event 2 Uganda Open:10th – 14th Sept 2019 (Winner: Madalitso Muthiya)

Event 3 Royal Nairobi Golf Club: 12th – 16th October 2019 (Winner: Tony Omuli)

Event 4 Entebbe Open (Entebbe Golf Club): 30th Oct – 2nd Nov 2019 (Winner: Jastas Madoya)

Event 5 Lake Victoria Serena Golf Resort Open: 6th – 9th Nov 2019 (Winner: Dismas Indiza)

Event 6 Great Rift Valley Lodge and Golf Resort: 23rd – 27th Nov2019 (Winner: Dismas Indiza)

Event 7 Thika Greens: 4th – 8th January 2020 (Winner: Greg Snow)

Event 8 Muthaiga Golf Club: 11th – 15th January 2020 (Winner: Greg Snow)

Event 9 Sigona Golf Club: 25th – 29th January 2020 (Winner: Greg Snow)

Event 10 Kitante Open (Uganda Golf Club): 12th – 15th February 2020 (Winner: Andrew Odoh)

Event 11 Karen Country Club: 22nd -26th February 2020 (Winner: Greg Snow)

Rwanda’s Aloys Nsabimana in round two action at the Karen leg of the 2019_20 Safari Tour.

By DANIELLA APIYO AND AMANDA DAMARIS

Rwanda’s Aloys Nsabimana returned a blemish free score card of 3-under par, 68, after round two, to take the outright lead at the Karen leg of the Safari Tour on a gross score of 4-under par, 138.

Aloys posted identical scores of 34 on both nines, with two birdies on either side, at the par four ninth and seventeenth, while holding par through the rest of the holes. Speaking after his round Aloys was happy with his performance and hoped to replicate the same in the coming rounds.

“I played well today, I placed the ball where I wanted and I did not take many risks, with the roughs being unforgiving, I am happy with my performance. I am looking forward to more of the same tomorrow and hope I can keep up these scores to the end of the tournament.”

Nsabimana now sits one stroke ahead of Johnnie Walker sponsored Greg Snow who returned scores of par, to take his gross score to 2-under par, 140. The overnight leader hit a double bogey at the par-4, third, a birdie at the fifth and eighth, before bogeying the ninth for a turning score of 36. A further two birdies at the 12th and 18th, coupled with a bogey at the 16th saw him returning a score of par, to relinquish the lead to Nsabimana.

Absa sponsored Ooko who started the round in T9, returned a score of 3-under par, 68, to see him move into third place, on a gross score of 1-under par, 141.

The Royal Nairobi Golf Club pro started his round with a birdie at the par-3 second, before bogeying the par-3 fourth and following it up with a birdie at the par-5 sixth, going on to complete his front nine round with back-to-back birdies at the 8th and 9th for a turning score of 2-under par, 33. He opened his back nine run with a further two birdies at the 11th and 12th followed by a bogey at the 13th, going on to hold par through the rest of the holes for a round score of 68.

A total of 21 players made the CUT which was eventually set at 8-over par, among those who missed the chance to play in the third and fourth rounds include the winner of the Royal Nairobi leg, Anthony Juma, Uganda’s Philip Kasozi, Mohit Mediratta and Riz Charania.

Round three action tees off tomorrow at 8AM, with the players now focused on a stake of the KES. 3 Million prize kitty and a last chance to qualify for the 2020 Magical Kenya Open.