Kenya’s Jay Sandhu follows his tee shot at the AAGTC in Limuru today. Kenya share the lead with South Africa after Day Two.

By DANIELLA APIYO

Kenya pulled level with Day One leaders and tournament favourites South Africa at the 15^th edition of Africa Amateur Golf Team Championships (AAGTC) South Africa on the second day of the event staged at par 73 Limuru Golf and Country Club.

The hosts who trailed South Africa by four shots after the opening day were aided by a great misfortune which befell the leaders whose best player, Jason Smith’s 4 under par (69) score was disqualified after he forgot to sign his card, leaving the officials with no choice but to include Jade Buitendag’s dismal 7 over par (80) in their tally.

Aubrey Beckley carded 2 under par (71) and Andre Nel’s 2 over par (75) cancelled out leaving Buitendag’s 7 additional shots bogging down the Southerners to 7 over par (226) on Tuesday’s performance and an overall 442 score.

On the other hand, golfer of the year and Kenyan captain John Karichu shook off his opening day blues to post 73 par on his home golf course while John Kariuki and Bo Ciera carded 1 over par (74) and 2 over par (75) respectively to post a joint total of 2 over par (222).

Having carded a joint a joint 1 over par (220) on the opening day, the home boys ended day to at the summit jointly with South Africa on 4 over par (442) with two day of play still pending.Jay Sandhu, Kenya’s fourth representative’s score was left out of AAGTC grading as he performed dismal among team Kenya.

Zimbabwe posted the best result on day two, scaling the leaderboard down from position five to third behind Kenya and South Africa. Visitor Mapwanya led Robson Chinoi and Tonderoi Masunga to a to a one under par (218) for an overall score of 5 over par (443), just one shot behind the joint leaders.

Uganda are fourth on the log with day one sensation Ronald Otile crumbling from his 4 under par (69) on Monday to a dismal 4 0ver par (77) while Zambia, third after day one were relegated to 5^th on 456 overall score. mens nike air max 90 mens nike air max 90

Team Kenya for the Africa Amateur Golf Team Championships pose for a photo at Muthaiga Golf Club today.

By KGG REPORTER

Reigning golfer of the year John Karichu will skipper Team Kenya when the 15^th edition of Africa Amateur Golf Team Championship (AAGTC) tees off at the Limuru Golf and Country Club on 11^th of October. Kenya, represented by five players in a tournament that has 18 African countries contesting will be seeking her maiden title having fallen short in the last fourteen editions.

Paul Muchangi, Bo Gera, Jay Sandhu and John Kariuki will be coached by experienced professional golfer Brian Njoroge in the six day event that concludes on the 16^th of October. The Africa Amateur Golf Team Championships is contested over four rounds of stroke play, Each team has four players but only the best three scores per round is counted towards the team total. The country with the lowest gross score at the end of the championships will be crowned the AAGTC champion.

The most outstanding player who scores best during the championships will also be awarded a prize for the overall individual winner. South Africa has dominated the tournament with victories in Botswana in 2003, 2005 in Kampala Uganda, Namibia in 2007, Egypt in 2009, 2011 at home and also won the last edition staged in Swaziland in 2013.

Kenya is hosting the event for the first time since its inauguration and faces a strong challenge against visiting teams from South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Zambia, Namibia, Tunisia, Mauritius, Nigeria, Egypt, Seychelles and Cote D’ Ivoire.

Kenya’s hopes of challenging the title rests mostly on Karichu who’s been prominent in the Gotty run in the past three years. The novices patrnering him against the continents finest amateurs must be at their best ever if that dream of breaking South Africa’s dominance is realized.

“I have faith in myself and my partners because I’ve played with them in many tournaments. If we maintain cool heads we can win the event. Home advantage should also aid us but generally our mind frame going into each game will matter most,” Karichu said after the tournament launch which saw Kenya Tourism Board and AAR Health Care dish out Sh1 million and Sh500,000 respectively for the championships. nike air max womens nike air max womens