Professional golfer Greg Snow lines his putt at a past event. He will be in action at the KQ Golf Safari in Nakuru on Saturday.

By DANIELLA APIYO

Kenya’s celebrated International pro Greg Snow and Dismas Indiza will be the star attractions when the 2014/2015 Kenya Airways Golf Safari action resumes this weekend at the 18-hole Nakuru Golf Club.

The hard-hitting duo makes up a class field of 28 pros lined-up for a 36 hole tournament on Friday and Saturday, according to Professional Golfers of Kenya (PGK) Captain CJ Wangai.

Wangai said pros will play in five KQ Golf Safaris in Nakuru, Sigona, Vet Lab, Karen and ultimately the grand finale at Windsor on March 26.

“We sincerely thank the management of Kenya Airways for handing local pros an opportunity to prepare adequately for the Kenya Open.” remarked Wangai who is a resident pro at Sigona.

Wangai who was among the top three pros in the 2014 PGK Order of Merit will however not be playing in Nakuru as he involved in the organisation of Sigona Bowl this weekend.

The pros showdown precedes the 18-hole amateurs’ tournament featuring over 160 golfers on Saturday. Across borders, Uganda Golf Club in Kampala plays host to the next round of the international calendar also on Saturday.

This is the first time since 2012 that the KQ series is incorporating professionals and Snow’s presence in Nakuru is anticipated to generate considerable interest. Snow has lined up a number of events prior to and after this year’s Barclays Kenya Open, as he prepares to launch his bid for the European Professional Golfers Association (PGA) Tour School.

Snow, now based at Royal Nairobi Golf Club and the most successful player during last year’s Kenya Open, will feature in five events in the newly launched Mediterranean PGA Tour in Egypt.

While pros will be using the prestigious Golf Safari to shape up for the annual Kenya Open, amateurs will be fighting to clinch two return tickets at stake for the overall winner to fly a KQ destination of choice within the African region.

Over and above the return tickets gesture, the overall, men’s and ladies winners will earn slots to the grand finale.

Nakuru resident pro James Lorum has named handicap three Paul Mwea and Njuguna Njoka (handicap 5) as those expected to prevail in the amateur category. “Njoka and Mwea have been so impressive lately and I have a feeling that the duo will perform well this weekend,” said Lorum who has represented Kenya severally at the Kenya Open.

Pros playing in the Golf Safari this weekend are indeed the usual suspects the country will field at the prestigious Kenya Open.

Mumias’ long-hitter Indiza, Snow, David Odhiambo of Kisumu, host Richard Ainley, Lorum of Nakuru, Jacob Okello of Golf Park, Nicholas Rokoine of Muthaiga, Royal duo of David Wakhu and Erick Ooko, Simon Ngige of Thika Sports Club, Railways’ Njuguna Ngugi and Nanyuki resident pro Sullivan Muthugia are the main attractions in the list of 28 professionals. At stake for pros in Nakuru is a prize fund of Ksh. 280,000.

After Uganda, the international focus shifts to the Riverdale CC in Thailand and the Reef Golf Club in Seychelles on January 31.

Pecanwood Golf Club in SA and Lusaka Golf Club will wind up the tour of Africa.

Kenya Airways Golf Safari, through “KQ Holidays” is designed to promote Kenya as a top golf tourism destination. With more than 35 golf clubs across the country, reasonable green fees, a tourist friendly exchange rate, all-year-round golfing weather, adequate hotel bed space and regular KQ flights to Europe and Asia, Kenya is poised to tap into the $2 billion a year golf tourism market. air max 95 air max 95

P Kamuga practices a swing during the Kenya Airways Safari at Kiambu Golf Club at the weekend.

By DANIELLA APIYO

Home golfer David Nyaga shot 38 stableford points to emerge the overall winner during the ninth round of the 2014/2015 Kenya Airways Golf Safari series at the 9-hole Kiambu Golf Club.

Playing off handicap 22, Nyaga outplayed a large field of 182 guest, staff and home players. He shot 20 in the first nine and 18 in the second nine.

Despite carrying the day on count back, Nyaga was all smiles as he secured a place in the Grand Finale over and above two KQ return tickets to fly a destination of choice within the African continent.

“I’m on cloud nine. I never imagined at tee-off that I would emerge the winner but after great determination and pressure things worked out really well,” said Nyaga.

Handicap 16 James Karanja carded 38 stableford points to emerge the men’s winner. Karanja also makes it to the Grand Finale at Windsor on March 26 alongside lady winner Patricia Wangongu (handicap 23) who played a total of 36 stableford points. The Men’s runner-up trophy went to handicap 10 golfer Isaac Gichia on 37points.

Lady runner-up playing off handicap 17 was none other than Charity Njoroge on 36 points.

Longest Drive honours for men went to handicap 37 Michael Ngene. Ngene completed a rare double also chalking-up the junior winner’s accolade.

The Longest Drive Lady winner was Jane Njoroge. Like Ngene, Njoroge also completed an impressive double also clinching nearest to the pin on 7ft.

The Kiambu tour was indeed one of the best attended tournaments in recent times with a big field of 182 golfers showing up.

Thika is thus far the best attended in the KQ series with 280 followed by Limuru with 257.

Saturday’s event was graced by KQ’s Information System (IS) Director Kevin Kinyanjui who said: “KQ is committed to promoting and supporting sports and sports tourism in Kenya and beyond as a way of contributing towards sustainable development of Africa.”

Kinyanjui added that “KQ now boasts of the youngest fleet in the continent and with the largest network of destinations in Africa. We have new aircrafts including Dreamliner, B 777 and 737-800 as well as swanky lounges at JKIA that will help us achieve the dream of promoting sustainable development of Africa”.

Meanwhile, the seventh leg of the international KQ Golf Safari resumes at Kampala’s Uganda Golf Club on January 17.

The international schedule going round KQ destinations has thus far seen golfers from around the globe fight it out for Grand Finale slots at Time Club in Ghana, Royal Harare GC, Hong Kong’s Shek O club, Guangzhou’s Dragon Lake GC, Gymkhana in Tanzania, the IBB Abuja club and Ikoyi GC in Lagos graced by Kenyan Ambassador to Nigeria Tom Amollo.

It will also visit the Riverdale CC in Thailand the week after and the Reef Golf Club in Seychelles on January 31. Pecanwood Golf Club in SA and Lusaka Golf Club will wind up the tour of Africa.

The Kenya Airways Golf Safari, through “KQ Holidays” is designed to promote Kenya as a top golf tourism destination. With more than 35 golf clubs across the country, reasonable green fees, a tourist friendly exchange rate, all-year-round golfing weather, adequate hotel bed space and regular flights to Europe and Asia, Kenya is poised to tap into the $2 billion a year golf tourism market.

After Kiambu Golf Club, the tournament visits Nakuru, Muthaiga, Sigona, Karen, Vet Lab and the Royal Nairobi Golf Club.

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