Muthaiga caddies Robert Kariuki and Joseph Kioko compare notes at Muthaiga Club during the National Caddie Tournament.

By DANIELLA APIYO AND AMANDA DAMARIS

Home player John Karanja to beat a large field of 183 players drawn from 22 clubs and including 24 professionals, to emerge the winner of the 2019 Nginyo Investments sponsored National Caddies tournament at Muthaiga Golf Club on Monday.

It was no mean feat, Karanja, a regular player in the Kenya Amateur Golf Championship (KAGC) series, fired one over par 72, to beat Kelvin Barasa of the Great Rift Valley Resort Naivasha by five shots. Barasa posted 77 gross.

Playing off handicap three, Karanja, bogeyed the par four-first hole, before making two back to back birdies at the third and fourth. He however three putted the fifth to drop his second shot of the day.  He however made a birdie at the par five-seventh to finish the front nine on one under par. “The first nine is usual very difficult so I tried to protect the two birdies I had though was very disappointed with the three putts at the fifth hole’’ said Karanja.

He picked a birdie at the 10^th, but dropped a shot at the 12^th after driving to the fairway bunker. A double at the 14^th after hitting a tree on the right followed by a three putts almost ruined his chances of winning the event though he made an easy birdie at the 18^th for a one over par 72 to claim the beautiful Nginyo Investments Trophy.

“ I am very delighted winning this event, more or so by beating some of the professionals. I sincerely thank the Lawrence Nginyo Kariuki for his great support to the caddies in the country over the years’’ said Karanja who last year won both the Tanzania Caddies championship in Kiligolf Resort Arusha and the Uganda Caddie championship.

“I would like to prepare for the Muthaiga Open and Sigona Bowl in February and March’’ added Karanja. Railway’s Patrick Kariuki fired an impressive nett 65 to clinch the nett title ahead of Muthaiga’s Geoffrey Kiiru on 67. In third place was John Kamau of Limuru also on 67 nett.

Winning the nines were J. Nyanduru and M. Njoroge on nett 36 each while J. Gitau and N. Waweru won the longest drive and nearest to pin respectively. In the ladies section, Sigona’s Mary Gathoni retained her title after posting 85 gross, winning by 10 shots from Mary Rogate of Muthaiga. The nett title went to Leah Kahora of Ruiru Sports Club who carded 77 nett to win by one shot from Innocent Mukami and Margaret Wairimu. The nine winners were P. Nduta and Mary Wanjiru on 36 and 30 nett while Sarah Bisera and J. Waweru won the longest drive and nearest to pin prizes.

Leading the professionals was Sigona’s John Wangai who shot level par 71 in the round which included birdies on the fifth and 16^th and bogeys over the sixth and 10^th. He won by a shot from Golf Park’s David Wahu while another Golf Park pro Tony Omuli was third with two over par 73 while the Great Rift Valley Resort’s Justus Madoya was fourth on 74. The winner Wangai took home Sh75,000.

This year Nginyo Investments courtesy of veteran professional Lawrence Nginyo Kariuki and his partners Swiss Lenana Mount Hotel sponsored the event to the tune of Sh750,000, and Kariuki promised to increase the sponsorship package to one million in 2020.

“ I take this great pleasure to acknowledge the profound growth in this event as witnessed in the number of players who took part in the qualifying rounds in their respective clubs’’ said Kariuki.

He said that Caddies have a long history that dates back to the pre-independence days to play the game of golf. This struggle started way back in 1963 when Kariuki himself founded the Ndumberi Golf Club popularly known as “St Andrews”, to enable Africans and Asians to play the game which was then exclusively for the white community. “The founding of Ndumberi Golf Club was critical as it paved way for clubs affiliated to Kenya Golf Union (KGU) accept selected African and Asians to join as members. My advice to you as caddies is to observe discipline and adhere to the rules of golf for you to continue realizing the fruits of this struggle’’ added Kariuki who called on other corporate to support the caddies by providing sponsorship.

Florentyna Parker from England will be among the European Tour professionals touring Kenya this weekend.

By DANIELLA APIYO AND AMANDA DAMARIS

This Friday and Saturday will see lady professional golfers, who feature on the Ladies European Tour, play two Pro-Ams on Vipingo Ridge’s PGA Baobab Course during their inaugural visit to Kenya.

With 13 professionals now confirmed to attend the event, more than 36 Kenyan golfers are scheduled to participate alongside them.

Among these local players are 13-year-old Alyssa Jamal who earlier this month won Lady Captain’s Prize golf tournament at Nyali Golf and Country Club -an incredible fete for this young player beating participants with many more years of experience.

Jamal, who has already has a handicap of 8, is a promising junior athlete from Nyali Golf Club and Vipingo Ridge welcomes this younger generation to participate in such high-profile events, believing in the incredible part sport has to play in the development of Kenyan children and young adults. Other notable local players include former Ladies National Golf Champion, Naomi Wafula. The 20 year-old, from Kitale Golf Club, has already enjoyed a sterling career despite her age, representing Kenya in golf throughout her teens. Last year, she won the Nyali Bowl at the Ladies Coast Open.

Mike Round Turner, General Manager at Vipingo Ridge stated “We look forward to welcoming these incredible young women and all the players involved to Vipingo Ridge later this week. It’s shaping up to be a fantastic event -one that we hope will showcase Kenya as a safe and quality destination for international sporting events.”

The Tour professional players will be on route from the Fatima Mubarak Ladies Open in Abu Dhabi to the Australian Ladies Classic Bonville and therefore will be making a stop in Kenya between tour events. The Pro-Ams, which will see amateurs pair with the LET professionals.

All 13 LET players have ranked in the top 100 in the 2018 Order of Merit, with Florentyna Parker from England being the most famous in the field after three professional wins and representing Europe in the 2017 Solheim Cup in Des Moines, USA. Parker placed 13th in the Order of Merit last year. Other players confirmed to attend are Noemi Jimenez Martin from Spain who finished 19th and Camilla Lennarth (Sweden) who was 23rd. Vipingo Ridge, in collaboration with U.COM Event, is hosting both events and is proud to promote Kenyan golf and its unique golfing destinations to the world.

Guy Moran, Head of Property and Development at The PGA, commented: “This event promises to be a triumph helping to put Kenyan golf on the map, especially by promoting ladies golf throughout the country and further afield. The PGA fully supports such activities and congratulates Vipingo Ridge, U.COM and partners for putting together a world-class Pro-Am at relatively short notice. We look forward to seeing many more of the same.”