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

Retired President Mwai Kibaki is welcomed by officials of Kenya Golf Union for the opening the East Africa Golf challenge at Great Rift Valley Lodge in Naivasha which has brought together six nations.

By CORRESPONDENT

Reigning champions Kenya today started their title defense on a wrong foot as they lost three crucial points in the opening round singles, to close the day in third position behind leaders Uganda and second placed Tanzania on the first day of this year’s six-nations East Africa Challenge Cup Golf Championship currently going on at the Great Rift Valley Golf Resort in Naivasha.
Today’s round, however did not end with out hitches as Kenya’s leading amateur John Karichu did not play the player who had been drawn to meet him and became the first player to lose his match against East Africa’s longest hitter Nuru Mollel.

According to the draw, Karichu who was down at the turn, had been drawn to play with another Tanzanian John Said who instead played with Rwanda’s Augustine Habeneza who the Tanzanian beat 1-up.

The Karichu and Molell match ended with a 3-2 in favour of Mollel. The organizing committee and match referees were meeting at the time of writing, to decide Tanzania’s player swapping.

The second Kenyan to lose his match was the Great Rift Valley’s very own Justus Madoya who lost a 1-up lead to go down 2-1 to Uganda’s team captain Philip Kasozi while the other important point for Kenya to go was in the match between junior Danile Nduva who lost to another top Ugandan Willy Kitata 3-1.

Earlier, kenyan team captain Robinson Owiti had posted 8-7 win against Rwanda’s Emmanuel Habeneza as another Kenyan junior Mathew Wahome beat Akilu Haile 6-5.

The third point for the hosts came through another Kenyan junior Adel Balala who beat Burundi’s Haruna Hakizimana 8-7. Also winning his match was Tony Omuli who beat Alloys Nsabimana 5-4. William Odera gave Kenya its fifth point following his 6-5 victory against Burundi’s Harry Ndereka.

Uganda won seven matches and lost only one where the junior player Daniel Baguma was beaten by Ethiopia’s Hagos Mulu 6-5.

Day one leader board.

The new comes Ethiopia also snatched half a point from Tanzania’s Emmanuel Samuel in the only match that ended at the 18th hole that saw Tanzania wind up with six and half points.

Rwanda had three points at the end of the day, Ethiopia two and half points while Burundi lost all the matches. There are two rounds today where the day starts with the foursomes in the morning from 7am followed by the four ball better ball in the afternoon.

Speaking at the end of the day, kenyan coast Anil Shah said though he was disappointed with the results,he will still push on in the remaining rounds. “We still chances in the remaining rounds and have advised the players not to give up but push on” he said. He said in a matchplay anything was possible. “It is not over until it is over, we can still turn the tables on both Uganda and Tanzania.” cheap air max cheap air max