Muthaiga’s Greg Snow follows his shot at the Karen Country Club leg of the Safari Tour Golf Series.

By DANIELLA APIYO AND AMANDA DAMARIS

Muthaiga Golf Club’s Greg Snow continued with his steady performance at the Karen Country Club leg of the Safari Tour Golf Series to remain top of the leaderboard going into the final two rounds. He returned a decent level-par 71 in today’s round to take his total for the tournament to 2-under par 140.

On the first nine, he impressed to record a total of 32 having played bogey-free, and picking up birdies on the par-3, fourth, the par-5, sixth and the par-4, ninth. It is on the back nine where he struggled with a double-bogey on the par-4, 13^th, followed by a bogey on the par-3 14^th and another at the par-4, 18^th. He however holed a solo birdie on the par-5, 12^th for a total of 39.

On his part, Nyali Golf and Country Club’s elite amateur, Daniel Nduva (handicap +2) who is also the 2018 Kenya Amateur Match Play Champion, sustained his impressive form at the Karen leg of the Safari Tour to return a respectable score of 1-over par 72; to take his total for the tournament to level-par 142 – enough to leave him in second.

On the first nine, he carded a total of 35 having dropped a shot at the par-4, third before holing a birdie at the par-4, seventh; and having held par on the rest of the holes. On the back nine, he carded a total of 37 having holed a birdie on the par-5, 11^th but dropping shots at the par-5, 12^th and on the par-4, 15^th.

Speaking after the round, Nduva said: “My round today was okay although I do not think it was the best. I haven’t been hitting my irons as well as I should, and I feel that has contributed to today’s performance. Going into the final two rounds, I will work on my tee shots with the view of hitting the fairways more for better scores at this tournament.”

Meanwhile, Mumias Sugar’s Dismas Indiza returned an impressive 2-under 69 score to post the lowest score of the day and to end the round tied for third alongside Kenya Air Force Golf Club’s Kevin Mabele with a tournament total score of 1-over par 143. He had finished tied for 16^th after the first round of the tournament.

On the first nine, he carded a total of 34 with consecutive birdies at the par-4, eighth and the par-4 ninth cancelling out a lone bogey at the par-4, first; having held par on the rest of the holes. On the back nine, he carded a total of 35 with birdies on the par-4, 10^th, par-5, 12^th and the par-4, 18^th cancelling out dropped shots at the par-5, 11^th and the par-3, 16^th.

A total of 25 players made the cut – which was today set at 10-over par – among them being elite amateurs Edwin Mudanyi (handicap +1) from Vet Lab, Nyali Golf and Country Club’s Daniel Nduva (handicap +2), Vet Lab’s Mike Kisia (handicap +1), Railways Golf Club’s Samuel Njoroge (handicap +2) and South-African-based Matthew Wahome. Eight of the nine Kenyan Pros who have qualified to play at this year’s Magical Kenya Open made the Cut, with Vet Lab’s Nelson Simwa being the exception.

The Karen Country Club leg of the Safari Tour series will offer three more players, outside the nine Pros and six amateurs who have already qualified to play at the 2019 Magical Kenya Open Golf Championship, qualification slots into this year’s tournament. Jacob Okello, Justus Madoya, David Odhiambo and Ugandan Philip Kasozi are all in the hunt for the final three slots which are available.

Action for Round Three of the Karen Country Club leg of the Safari Tour Golf Series tees off tomorrow at 8:00am. The tournament is sponsored by Magical Kenya and Barclays Bank of Kenya.

Greg Snow in action during round one of the Karen leg of the Safari Tour.

By DANIELLA APIYO AND AMANDA DAMARIS

Muthaiga Golf Club’s Greg Snow, shot an impressive round of 2-under par 69 at the Karen Country Club leg of the Safari Tour golf series to take the lead after Round One of the tournament.

The recently crowned Safari Tour overall winner, got off to a slow start, picking up a bogey on the par-4, third before recovering with back to back birdies on the par-4, fifth and the par-5, sixth for a turning score of 34, having held par on the other five holes. He looked to be on course for a score of 34, after hitting a birdie at the 12th, before he dropping a shot at the par-4 18th , for a back nine score of 35.

Speaking after the round, Snow expressed his satisfaction with his overall performance in the round and looked forward to more of the same in the next rounds.

“I am pleased with my performance today, the course is in great shape and quite challenging with the narrow greens. I am now working towards keeping this form going in the coming rounds.” he said.

Great Rift Golf Club’s Justus Madoya and amateur Daniel Nduva returned impressive scores of one under par on the round to tie for second place. Madoya birdied the Par-3, second and par-5 sixth before bogeying at the par-4, third and par-3 fourth in the first nine, he played an impressive round of 35 in the back nine to return an overall score of one under par, 70. Nduva started off with a bogey at the first but quickly settled with four birdies in the first nine to return a score of 32, the best of the round. Further bogeys at the tenth, fifteenth and sixteenth holes saw him return a back nine score of 38 for a round total of one under par, 70

The trio of David Opati, Simon Ngige and Anil Shah returned scores of par, 71 to tie for third, Mumias Sugar’s Dismas Indiza had a round to forget, returning a score of 3-over par, 74 placing him T16, one shot behind Windsor’s Rizwan Charania (T13).

Meanwhile, Golf Park’s Joseph Karanja led his team to victory at the PRO-AM event of the Karen Country Club leg of the Safari Tour Golf Series yesterday after returning a score of 39 to combine with his team’s best amateur score of 44 for a total of 83.

His team’s efforts were enough to fend off the challenge posed by the team of Muthaiga Golf Club’s Kopan Timbe who returned a score of 38 on the day to combine with his team’s best amateur score to finish second. Meanwhile, Golf Park’s Tony Omuli returned a decent score of 36 to combine with his team’s best amateur score to finish in third.

In the subsequent members event, Vet Lab’s Alice Kariuki (handicap 22) emerged overall winner with 39 points; while Karen Country Club’s Eunice Maranya (handicap 16) was overall runner-up with 38 points. Karen Country Club’s James Ngotho (handicap 07) emerged third overall with 38 points.

The tournament, which attracted a field of over 170 golfers, was played under the course layout that will be adopted at the 2019 Magical Kenya Open Golf Championship, giving local pros an opportunity to acclimatize to the course ahead of the tournament.