Greg Snow in action during last year’s Kenya Open Golf Championships.

By AMANDA DAMARIS

The die has been cast. Local professionals who will represent the country at this year’s Barclays Kenya Open Golf Championships are now known after the competition of the third and final leg of the ‘Race to 2017 Kenya pro-golf series held at the par 71 Muthaiga Golf Club.
Home player Greg Snow reigned supreme in the final leg of the series, winning by a comfortable margin after sinking two birdies on the final day and emerged the overall winner of the three series on a total of 105.5 points.
The other legs of the series were held in Sigona and Vet Lab. In the Sigona qualifier, Snow picked 32 points, before securing 37.5 points at Vet Lab and his feat at Muthaiga earned him a further 36 points.
Vet Lab’s Mathew Omondi is second in the series on 97 points, while Golf Park’s Jacob Okello is third on 95.5 points and David Wakhu of Royal Nairobi Golf Club is fourth on 93 points.
According to Okello who is also the Professional Golfers of Kenya (PGK) chairman, the top 18 in the series automatically qualify for the Open to be staged at Muthaiga Golf Course from March 23 to 26. The four players who made the cut at last year’s Open, Dismas Indiza, Brian Njoroge, Simon Ngige and Stefan Andersen have wild cards and complete the slot of 22 professionals awarded to Kenya pros by the tournament organisers.
However, the tie of 18th placed Richard Ainley and Anil Shah is likely to give PGK a headache on maintaining the required 22 as the number is now at 23. Ainley and Anil both amassed 71.5 points after the three qualifying series.
“We are having a meeting with Kenya Open Golf Limited officials next week to request for one more slot so that we can accommodate the two tied pros. We will then release the final list of professionals to feature in the Open,” said Okello.
Series performance:
Greg Snow                             105.5
Mathew Omondi                 97
Jacob Okello                         95.5
David Wakhu                       93
C.J. Wangai                          91
N. M. Ngugi                          89.5
David Odhiambo                88.5
Nicholas Rokoine               87
Justus Madoyo                   86
Kopan Timbe                      86
Boniface Simwa                  85
Nelson Simwa                    83
Riz Charania                      79
David Opati                       76.5
Nelson Mudanyi               76
J. W. Karanja                    73.5
Tony Omuli                       72.5
Anil Shah                           71.5
Richard Ainley                 71.5 pandora charms sale uk pandora charms sale uk

Alfred Nandwa of Railway Club in action during a recent round. He finished tied third at the Mount Kenya Championships in Nyeri.

By DANIELLA APIYO

Vet Lab’s Mike Kisia is the winner of this year’s Mount Kenya Golf Championships, the second event in the Kenya Golf Union (KGU) Golfer of The Year series that was held at the par 72 Nyeri Golf Club at the weekend.

The Vet Lab golfer playing off handicap +1 posted a score of level par 144 to rule the roost after the two rounds of the competition. In the first round he managed one over par 73, before bouncing back to play one under in the second and final round to carry the day.

Railway Golf Club’s Samuel Njoroge playing off scratch was second in the contest on 145 gross after posting 76 and 69 in the first and second rounds respectively.

Former national team captain Robinson Owiti of Vet Lab also playing off scratch tied with Railways’ Alfred Nandwa in the third position on 146 gross. Owiti had rounds of 76 and 70, while Nandwa played 71 and 75.

Peter Rumiu of Njoro was fifth on 148 gross (75, 73), while reigning golfer of the year Kenneth Bollo and Dennis Saikwa both of Royal Nairobi Golf Club tied in the sixth position on 149 gross apiece. Bollo posted 71 gross in the first round before stumbling in the second where he managed 78 gross, while Saikwa had rounds of 74 and 75.

“I started very well, playing one under in the first round and in the second round things were ok in the first nine, before hell broke loose in the second nine after I went to the OB on the 10^th hole. I could not recover and ended up playing six over in the round,” said Bollo who will be leading the local amateurs during this year’s Kenya Open Golf Championships. nike air max 1 nike air max 1