Kenya Open Golf Limited Chairman Peter Kanyago at a past event.

By DANIELLA APIYO AND AMANDA DAMARIS

Kenya Open Golf Limited (KOGL) is pleased to learn that the Kenya Golf Union has announced a list of five elite amateurs who will take part in this year’s Kenya Open Golf Championship which will be held at the Karen Country Club from the 14^th to the 17^th of March.

“On behalf of the Kenya Open Golf Limited Board, I congratulate them for their tremendous efforts throughout the year which have seen them earn a ticket to this year’s Kenya Open Golf Championship,” said KOGL chairman Peter Kanyago.
The five elite amateurs are Railways Golf Club’s Samuel Njoroge (handicap +2), who is also the 2018 Kenya amateur Stroke Play Champion; Nyali Golf and Country Club’s Daniel Nduva (handicap +2), who is also the 2018 Kenya Amateur Match Play Champion; Vet Lab’s Edwin Mudanyi (handicap +1), the 2018 Kenya Amateur Golf Championship second runner-up; Vet Lab’s Mike Kisia (handicap +1), who is fourth on the Kenya Amateur Golf Championship Ranking; and the Dubai-based junior golfer, Bradley Mogire (handicap +2), who was handed the Kenya Golf Union wild card.

The Junior Golf Foundation nominee will be announced by end of the month; to complete the list of six amateur players who will feature at this year’s Kenya Open Golf Championship.

“It is our conviction that, through the hard work by both our pros and elite amateurs at the ongoing Safari Tour Golf Series, we will have more Kenyans making the cut this year and challenging for the top prize,” Kanyago said.

He added: “Finally, I congratulate the Kenya Golf Union for its continued work in enhancing the growth and development of golf in Kenya; and look forward to continue working together in this regard.”

Samuel Njoroge of Railways Golf Club displays his trophy after being crowned the overall winner of 2018 Kenya Amateur Championship today during the Kenya Golf Union Awards Top Amateurs of 2018 ceremony held at Muthaiga Golf Club.

By DANIELLA APIYO AND AMANDA DAMARIS

The Kenya Golf Union has today officially feted the winners of the 2018 Kenya Amateur Golf Championship (formerly known as the Golf of the Year (GOTY)). Samuel Njoroge from Railway Golf Club is the 2018 Kenya Amateur Champion having gathered 545.6 points throughout the year to beat his closest competitor, John Karichu from Limuru Country Club, who managed 469.6 points. Coming in third was the 2017 champion Edwin Mudanyi, from Vet Lab Sports Club, with 333.5 points.

Edwin Mudanyi was also the winner of the lowest average gross score. Of his 20 best rounds, he managed an average score of 71.20 strokes beating John Karichu who had an average of 71.60 strokes.

In the club category, Vet Lab Sports Club was announced as the winner; having contributed the most amateur golfers in the Kenya Amateur Golf Championship throughout 2018. Royal Nairobi Golf Club came in second with Limuru Country Club taking the third position.

The Kenya Golf Union also announced the launch a program of talent development that will be led by the Golf Talent Foundation, a subsidiary of the union. The program that will take some of the talented amateur golfers through a training regime that will help equip them with skills that will see them do well even as they turn professional.

Kenya Amateur Championship winner S. Njoroge of Railways GC (Left) and lowest average gross score winner Edwin Mudanyi of Vetlab GC display their trophies during the KGU Awards Top Amateurs of 2018 ceremony held at Muthaiga Golf Club.

“The Kenya Golf Union will get into an arrangement with Golf South Africa and some of the federations in Europe that will see our amateur golfers get opportunities to play in competitions abroad and they will also get to send some their amateur golfers to play in Kenya,” said Lucas Marang’a, the Chairman of the Kenya Golf Union when announcing the start of the program.

“We recognise that to produce golfers who can compete effectively on the world scene as professionals, we must equip our amateur golfers and part of the program will be to expose them to golfers from countries that have continually produced the best golfers,” added Marang’a.

During the awards, the Kenya Golf Union also announced five of the six amateur golfers that will be playing at this year Kenya Open at Karen Country Club from 14^th to 17^th of March.

The five are:

1. Daniel Nduva from Nyali Golf and Country Club – winner of the Kenya Amateur Match Play Championship

2. Samuel Njoroge – winner of the Kenya Amateur Stroke Play Championship

3. Edwin Mudanyi – picked from the Kenya Amateur Golf Championship (KAGC) ranking

4. Mike Kisia from Vet Lab Sports Club – picked from the KAGC ranking

5. Bradley Mogire – KGU wild card

The Kenya Golf Union will announce the Junior Golf Foundation nominee to fill the sixth slot by the end of February.