Team Kenya’s Mathew Wahome takes a breath during the regional competition at the Great Rift Valley Lodge yeaterday.

By FIDEL ONO

Hosts Kenya today showed what they are really made off as they rallied to retain the East Africa Challenge Golf title after a thrilling final day at the Great Rift Valley Lodge and Golf Resort as the regional tournament came to an end today.

They beat initial runner-away leaders Uganda in three tough matches for a maximum of eight points, to retain the East Africa Challenge Golf Championship title though by a narrow margin of half a point.

Needing all eight points to win, Kenya’s John Karichu beat Uganda’s Ronald Rugumayo 1-up at the 18th, as Justus Madoya who enjoyed a home crowd posted 3-2 win against Willy Kitata. There after Kenya’s team captain Robinson Owiti beat Daniel Baguma 2-1 to brighten the Kenyans face as Daniel Nduva picked up a point from Burundi’s Karim Gwabe with 7-5 victory before Mathew Wahome beat Ethiopia’s Natanim Sisay 6-4. Adel Balala added one more point with a 6-4 win against Ephrem Gabreselassie. However it was a tough encounter for Kenya’s last player William Odera who at one time was four up against Rwanda’s long serving Leonard Nkurunziza who Odera however managed to over power him at the 16th hole with a 3-2 victory for Kenya’s clean sweep in the final round singles which saw them retain the cup with a total of 19 points, just half a point from Uganda. This was the third back to back victory for Kenya who won in Arusha in 2011 and Burundi in 2012. Uganda who won all the eight points in the foursomes and four ball better ball, managed only three and half for 18.5 as Tanzania settled for third place on 15.5 having also picked up a point from the Ugandas through Nuru Mollel. Rwanda was fourth on 8.5 and playing the event for the first time Ethiopia won three matches and halved one to finish fifth on 7 points with Burundi finishing last with only three and half points.

Uganda will host the 2014 tournament which is expected to attracted more countries. nike air max cheap uk mens nike air max cheap uk mens

GET IN: Kenya’s Justus Madoya putts during today’s round of the ongoing East Africa Challenge Golf at the Great Rift Valley Lodge and Golf Resort in Naivasha.

By DONALD WELLINGTON

Reigning champions and hosts Kenya made an impressive recovery after a slow start on the first day, winning all the four ball better ball matches in the afternoon, to jump to second place though still four points behind leaders Uganda going into tomorrow’s final round singles of the Keroche Breweries sponsored East Africa Challenge Cup golf Championship at the Great Rift Valley Golf Resort.
And the climax of the afternoon round was the match between Kenyan team captain Robinson Owiti and partner Justus Madoya and Tanzania’s top two amateurs Nuru Mollel and Abbas Adam.

The two teams fought a close neck and neck battle all the way to the home green where Tanzania surrendered after both players drove to the left bush.

Owiti and Madoya had increased their lead to two holes with three holes to go, but Madoya over shot the green on two for the Tanzanians to recover one up going to the notorious par five-17th, one of the longest and most challenging par five on this beautiful golf course.

They halved the hole to move to the 18th where Madoya was the only one on the fairway.

“This was a tough match but we were determined to beat the Tanzanians right from the ward go” said Madoya.

Earlier Tony Omuli and Adel Balala had beaten Ethiopia’s Hagos Mulu and Etbarek Gabrechekos 5-4 while John Karichu and William Odera beaten Rwandese pair 8-7 and Daniel Nduva and Mathew Wahome beat Burundi’s Toyi Saidi and Papaya Mwafrika 4-3 for Kenya to move to second place with a total of 11 points.

They were however still four points behind Uganda who also won all their four matches to lead with a total of 15 points.

Uganda needs to win five matches in today’s singles to capture the trophy they lost to Kenya in Tanzania and Burundi in 2011 and 2012.

Tanzania made only two points in the afternoon to drop to third place on 10.5 points while Rwanda were next on 5.5 and Ethiopia remained in fifth place with 3.5 points, one better than Burundi.

During the morning foursomes Kenya had picked up only two points where the two juniors Adel Balala and Tahir Mohamed had lost to a Burundi team while also losing in the morning were John Karichu and William Odera.

It was those results that made team coach angry as he said some of the players had not played according to his instruction. Kenya must now win all the eight matches today to make 19 points and hoping that Uganda loses four matches. cheap nike air max 90 uk cheap nike air max 90 uk