Royal’s Hellen Gatirimu awards Naomi Wafula during the JGF awards ceremony on Wednesday.

By CORRESPONDENT

DANIEL Nduva and Naomi Wafula were crowned the top boy and girl player respectively in the Junior Golf Foundation (JGF) awards ceremony held at the Royal Nairobi Golf Club on Wednesday.

Nduva who plays at Nyali Golf and Country Club underlined his supremacy in the boys category with a total of 71.20 points to his name as Wanjala reigned supreme in the girls pecking order with a slightly better aggregate of 73.40 points.

Wafula achieved a double feat after the conclusion of the two-day Kenya Junior Strokeplay Championships when she was declared the overall gross winner on a total of 219 (77, 72, 70).

Wafula, a student at Kilimani School, has been consistent this season and promised better things to come next year especially in international competitions.

“It was not particularly and I must attribute the feat to hard training on the course. It feels great to winning such an award at the conclusion of the JGF calendar,” said Wanjala who is a product of the Rose Naliaka Golf Foundation.

For Nadiva, this achievement came with the privilege of being sponsored for the Kenya Open Championships next March courtesy of the event’s main sponsor Crown Paints.

During his remarks after the gala, Kenya Golf Union (KGU) chairman Francis Okwara said the governing body will work in partnership with well wishers to promote the game and put together a formidable team in preparation forv the Olympics.

Meanwhile, Kenya will be represented by a boy and girl in the second edition of the youth Olympic games set for China.

Kenya will also parade for the qualifier in Gaborone, Botswana where it will be represented by two boys and two girls teams.

Rest of KGF awards recipients-Gross Runners-up 12 and under-Dev Savani (289), 13-14 years-Emir Hussein (268), 15-16 years-Matthew Wahome (234), 17-18 years-Mercy Nyanchama (242), Gross winners-12 years and under-Njoroge Kibugu (282), Mutahi Kibugu (255), 15-16 years-Adel Balala (228), 17-18 years-John Mburu (236), Overall net winner-Kevin Munene (199), Overall gross winner-Naomi Wafula (219). JGF awards Division D boy player of the year 12 and under- Dev Savani (93.50 pts), Division D girl player of the year 12 and under-Joy Ndonga. cheap air max 97 cheap air max 97

Limuru’s John Karichu follows his tee shot during a recent event. He is the new Golfer of the year.

By FIDEL ONO

Limuru Country Club’s John Karichu is the 2013 Golfer of the Year.

Karichu successfully clinched the trophy after bagging a total of 297 points ahead of Golf Park’s Tony Omuli who scored 262.13 points.

The third place has been taken by Robinson Owiti from Vet Lab on 228.38 points.

Thirty-year old Karichu started his golfing career in the year 2000 courtesy of his father who was working at Limuru. He has played consistent golf throughout the year and he only missed out points on one event- Kenya Matchplay Event which he did not participate.

He has won only five events- Mt Kenya Championship, Muthaiga Open, Winston Churchill, Coronation Event, and Kenya Amateur Strokeplay Championship making him the best golfer in the year.

The delighted Karichu said: “It has been a wonderful season for me after winning the GOTY. I am really pleased to have played so well throughout the year.”

Having been declared as the 2013 Best Golfer in the Country, Karichu secured an automatic ticket to participate in the Barclays Kenya Open Championship to be held in March 2014 at Karen Golf and Country Club.

During the prize giving ceremony held at Nyali Golf and Country club on 15^th December 2013 the Chairman of Kenya Golf Union, Mr. Francis Okwara congratulated the winners and thanked all the sponsors who have sponsored the KGU GOTY events in 2013.

The Chairman also thanked Mitchell Cotts, NIC Bank, Mombasa Continental Resort, ICEA Lions group, Knight Frank for sponsoring 2013 Nyali Open. The KGU boss lauded all golfers who have participated in GOTY events and also reiterated the commitment of the Union in developing the game of golf through junior golf development.

During the ceremony, the KGU Chairman announced that the Union will continue partnering with corporate organizations in promoting the game of golf in the country. He also reiterated the Union’s main target of identifying, promoting and nurturing golfing talents in the country. He noted that golf is no longer played for leisure but has slowly transformed into a competitive sport. cheap nike air max 90 uk cheap nike air max 90 uk