Lawrence Kiambi, KCB Group CFO and Karen Country Club Chairman, helps the winner to fit the blue jacket at the Karen Club on Sunday.

By DANIELLA APIYO

Twenty seven year old South African Michael Palmer is the winner of the 2018 KCB Karen Masters.

The Johannesburg based Bryanston Country Club pro fired an impressive last round of 5 under par 67 for a gross total of 18 under par 270. 

Whats more, Palmer savoured his first cut of the season on Friday after a second-round of six-under-par 66 in the second round. “I am very happy. It has been a tough first half of the year and the validation of the persistence is good. The win has motivated me to go for more glory on the Sunshine Tour ,” the winner said.

Palmer said he approach the weekend at the KCB Karen Masters a bit more aggressively than he did the first two rounds to realise his first win.

“I wouldn’t say I was so conservative over the first two rounds, but I definitely played more into the middle of the greens much more aggressively.”

Second overall was Merrick Bremner of South Africa with a gross total of -16 while Pieter Moolman and Tyrone Ryan also from South Africa finished joint third on -15.

Bremner was the day one and three leader and lost the coveted blue jacket to his compatriot Palmer by two shots.

Joint fifth on a score of -13 were Martin Rohwer (RSA) and Daniel van Tonder.

Jake Roos of South Africa who won the Kenyan Open in 2014/at the same.venue shot 12 under.par 276 (68, 70, 68, 70) to finish seventh.

Italian Philip Geerts finished joint eighth with South African Neil Schietekat on 10 under par 278.

Geerts was actually born in Nairobi to an Italian mother and Belgian father. He was born and grew up here in Africa lives in South Africa mainly for golf and has lived there for seven years.

The event played over 72 holes was sponsored by Kenya Commercial Bank.

KCB Marketing and Communication Director Angela Mwirigi highlighted the importance of the event in Kenyan sports circles by saying, “ The KCB Karen Masters remains our most visible vehicle to share the greatness of the sport. The tournament is on course to becoming the pre-eminent professional competition in East Africa

Top 10 final results:

1 Michael Palmer (RSA)-18 (70, 66, 67,67) 270

2 Merrick Bremner (RSA)-16 (65, 69, 68, 70) 272

3= Pieter Moolman (RSA)-15 (68, 68 67, 70) 273

3=Tyrone Ryan (RSA) -15 (68, 70, 65, 70) 273

5= Martin Rohwer (RSA)-13 70 68 69 68 275

5=Daniel van Tonder (RSA)-13 68 65 71 71 275

7. Jake Roos (RSA)-12 (68, 70, 68, 70) 276

8= Neil Schietekat (RSA)-10 (70 ,74, 63, 71) 278

8=Philip Geerts (ITA)-10 (68, 67, 70, 73) 278

10. JC Ritchie (RSA)/-10 (69, 66, 69, 74) 278

Dismas Indiza in action at the Karen Club today.

By AMANDA DAMARIS

Thika Sports Club pro Simon Ngige and Mumias long-hitter Dismas Indiza are leading the charge for Kenyans at the halfway stage of the Ksh 15 million KCB Karen Masters which enters homestretch on Sunday.

The duo are among the five Kenyan professionals who made the cut today evening at the Sunshine Tour sanctioned tournament at the Par 72 Karen Country Club.

The five Kenyans alongside Indiza are Thika’s Simon Ngige on -2, Mohit Mediratta of Sigona, South African based Stefan Andersen and Windsor resident pro Rizwan Charania.

Ngige is the leading Kenyan on joint 19^th with a total of 3 under par 141 while Indiza managed 2 under par 142 after two rounds.

Mohit and Andersen wrapped up the first two days on a total of 1 under par 143 and 1 over par 145 respectively.

South African Daniel Van Tonder took over the lead from compatriot Merrick Bremner after the second day.

The Durban Country Club pro went to bed with a total of 11 under par 133 at the hallway stage of the event which saw 60 players make the cut.

Tonder who played an impressive round of 7 under par 65 today is now holding a one shot lead from day one leader Bremner.  

Bremner is lying second after he fired 7 under par 65 on day one and 3 under par 69 yesterday for a total of 10 under par 134.

Joitn third are South Africans JC Ritchie and Philip Geerts on 9 under par 135.

Michael Palmer who is joint fifth made his first cut of the season yesterday after a six-under-par 66 in the second round.

It will be his first weekend of action in seven attempts in the 2018-19 Sunshine Tour season, and that’s pleasing for him. “I am very happy. It has been a tough first half of the year and the validation of the persistence is good,” he said.

The Bryanston Country Club player believes that playing the technical game can lead to losing your game. “Yes, it’s a downward spiral, because you work on something and you try to be perfect all the time instead of just playing golf like you know how to. I spoke a lot to my coach about the mental approach.”

He is planning to approach the weekend at the KCB Karen Masters a bit more aggressively than he did the first two rounds to see if that can get him his first win.

“I will probably take on a few more flags and maybe play more aggressively,” Palmer said. “I wouldn’t say I am conservative over the first two rounds, but I will definitely play more into the middle of the greens early on.”

He made five birdies and an eagle in his second-round 66, with just a single bogey on the card.

Kenya’s Andersen who shot 69 on Thursday played 2 over par 74 yesterday but still survived the axe.

“I’m very familiar with the course because I have been coming here since I was six years old,” Andersen said, adding: “I feel comfortable a little because I know where everything is but today was simply a bad day the office.”

The remaining 60 players will play the last two rounds today and tomorrow.