Former Information Minister Samuel Poghisio (right) with unidentified golf partner during the CCK Golf Day at Royal Nairobi Golf Club on Saturday.

By DONALD WELLINGTON

HOME player Quaram Bhatti resisted stiff challenge to beat a large field of 162 players and emerge the overall winner of this year’s Communication Commission of Kenya (CCK) Golf Day at the par 72 Royal Nairobi Golf Club on Saturday.

Bhatti playing off handicap 4 posted 20 stableford points in the first nine, before returning 21 stableford points in the back nine for a total of 41 points to carry the day.

He had six back-to-back pars in the first six holes, before picking a birdie on the par five seventh hole, played par on the par three hole eight and had a bogey on the par four hole nine. In the second nine Bhatti who was a member of the Royal team at this year’s Tannahil Shield event, picked two birdies and a single bogey.

“The course was playing well today and I have been playing good golf of late that is the reason of my victory today. I would like to thank the sponsors CCK for organizing such a big tournament and my father who has always been supportive throughout my golfing career,” Bhatti said.

Benjamin Koyier needed a second nine score of 20 stableford points to beat Bernard Kiraithe on countback and be crowned the men winner. Koyier posted 40 stableford points (20, 20), while Kiraithe posted 40 points (21, 19) to settle for the men runner-up position.

George Odinga also beat K.S.Syan on countback to settle for the men third prize on 39 points (17, 22), Syan had 39 points (19, 20).

Nancy Ikuni playing off handicap 17 was the lady winner on 38 points (17, 21), while Royal lady captain Sarah Hoare was lady runner up on 37 points (20, 17).

George Karuga won the guest prize on 38 points (16, 22) after beating Nathan Brown on countback. Brown settled for the guest runner-up spot on 38 points 17, 21).

CCK Board of Directors chairman Ben Gituku won the sponsors prize on 26 points, while the nearest to the pin men prize went to Timothy Kuria and nearest to the pin ladies prize went to Sophie Njenga.

“I wish to thank the Royal Nairobi Golf Club for according us the opportunity to host a corporate golf tournament during your members’ day. We commend the Club officials and membership for this kind gesture,” Gituku said during the prize giving ceremony.

He added: “To ensure that we discharge our mandate effectively, we are committed to continue interacting with our stakeholders in various forums such as this in order to get feedback and input on various aspects of our work. To this end, I am happy to report that CCK hosts a corporate golf tournament in Nairobi every year.  In light of the fact that our mandate is national, we also host an additional tournament outside Nairobi. We keep rotating the venue of the tournaments in order to reach as many people as possible. This year, we have chosen this Club for Nairobi and Nyanza Golf Club in Kisumu for other regions. The Kisumu event shall be held at the Nyanza Golf Club on July 20 this year. So far we have been to Mombasa, Nyeri, Nakuru, and Machakos, and we intend to cover all counties in the long-run.” nike air max soldes pas cher nike air max soldes pas cher

Adam Gee follows his tee shot in Czech.

By CORRESPONDENT

A third consecutive round of 66 sent Englishman Adam Gee two clear heading into the final day of the 2013 D+D Real Czech Challenge Open.

Gee fired eight birdies en route to his six under par total for a 54-hole aggregate score of 18 under par, bettering by two shots the Moving Day efforts of Spain’s Adrian Otaegui and Italian Andrea Pavan – with whom the Londoner had previously shared the lead overnight.

Francois Calmels is one shot further back after a seven under par 65, while England’s Matt Ford is part of a three-man tie for fifth place with 18 holes to play after equalling the course record with a stunning nine under par 63 on Saturday.

Gee came flying out of the blocks as two pin-point wedges to six feet handed the 32 year old a pair of birdies on the opening two holes at Golf & Spa Kuneticka Hora.

Two good birdie putts at the seventh and ninth sent Gee clear after turning in 32, before a bogey at the 11^th was sandwiched between two further gains at the tenth and 12^th as Gee’s fine iron-play came to the fore once again.

The putting was solid throughout, too, as Gee negated a second drop of the day at the 14^th with two 12-foot birdies at the 15^th and long 16^th and despite missing a makeable opportunity at the last he was well-pleased with his Saturday efforts.

“It was obviously really nice playing with Rob (Dinwiddie), I know him very well and he’s a good friend of mine so we were both fairly relaxed early doors and I managed to get off to a good start,” said Gee, whose best finishes on the Challenge Tour previously are two third places in 2010 and 2007.

“I chucked a couple of mistakes at it on the back nine but finished quite well so you can’t complain really.

“It was important to start fast. You know there are plenty of birdies out there and tomorrow will be similar. If you’re not making any birdies then you’re standing still so it was nice to get running straight away.”

With such prodigiously low scoring at Kuneticka Hora over the opening three days, Gee knows he will need to go out with aggression and purpose on Sunday.

“It sounds boring but I just want to keep doing what I’m doing,” he reflected. “I can’t expect to shoot level par tomorrow and still be up there so I know I need to go and get at the course again. A 69 would probably be a minimum.

“It’s great to be right up there in contention again; I’ve been more used to spending my weekends at home recently so I’m going to go out there any enjoy it.” bijoux pandora pas cher bijoux pandora pas cher