Austrian HP Bacher who was on top of the leader board after Day One.

By DONALD WELLINGTON

An eagle on the par five hole 18 was enough to guarantee Dutchman Tim Sluiter a second round over night lead on eight under par 134 at the ongoing Barclays Kenya Open Golf Championship at the par 71 Karen Golf and Country Club.

After playing two under on the first day, the 23-year-old Dutchman went a notch higher at yesterday’s round where he played six under, thanks to the albatross on the final hole, alongside six birdies.

He started the round on a poor note with a bogey on the par four third hole, played a birdie on the par three fifth, dropped another shot on the par four sixth, then recovered with two birdies on the par three seventh and par four ninth for a first nine score of 34.

In the second nine, Sluiter played a birdie on the par four hole 10, then picked another shot on the par four 12^th. In the last two holes, he picked a shot on the par four 17^th hole before hitting an eagle on the final hole for a second nine score of 31.

Spaniard Jordi Garcia Pinto fired seven birdies on the way to a five under par second round of 66 to trail the leader by a single shot and tied in the second position with Scottish George Murray after the second round.

The Spaniard began the day three shots off the overnight lead held by HP Bacher at Karen Country Club but a flying start, with birdies at the second and third, proved a sign of things to come.

A bogey at the seventh hole meant he reached the turn in two under but back to back birdies at the 11th and 12th was followed by a superb up and down for birdie at the 15th and while he dropped a shot at the 16th, he bounced straight back with a gained shot at 17 to move out in front on seven under.

“I played really well today from the very start,” said Garcia Pinto. “After the early birdies I was very relaxed and just enjoyed the day.

“I hit a lot of fairways and a lot of greens, whereas yesterday I missed a lot of greens, so it was important to get those early birdies.

“I was very calm and relaxed. I like this course a lot. My coach Joan Anglada played here about 25 years ago when he played on The European Tour and he said the course was perfect for me. It’s tricky but I like it.”

LEADER BOARD AFTER ROUND TWO

1. Tim Sluiter      (Netherlands)                   -8
2. George Murray  (Scotland)                      -7

Jordi Pinto Garcia (Spain)                          -7

4.Raymond Russel (Scotland)                   -6

5. David Law            (Scotland)                  -5

Andrea Pavan     (Italy)                          -5 bracelet pandora pas cher bracelet pandora pas cher

Dismas Indiza prepares to tee off at Karen Club yesterday, during the second day of the Kenya Open Golf.

By DONALD WELLINGTON

With the cut projected at two over yesterday, Kenyan players tumbled as only five out of the 33 participating managed to make the cut and enter the money bracket.

Mumias golfer Dismas Indiza was the major upset of the day. After playing two under in the first round on Thursday, he fumbled during yesterday’s round where he a carded five over for a total of three over and miss the cut with one over.

He had three bogeys on the first nine and a double bogey on hole 18, to bow out of the tournament.

Muthaiga’s Greg Snow remained as the best placed Kenyan in the tournament after playing level par in yesterday’s round, for a total of three under par 139 to finish the second round tied 13th.

Nyanza’s David Odhiambo who was crowned the JTL Masters winner last weekend at Muthaiga, was on a total of two under par 140 and tied 17^th.

Other Kenyans who made the cut included Nyali’s Kopan Timbe, Njuguna Ngugi of Railway club and Brian Njoroge of Vet Lab.

Timbe has a total score of one over and is tied 44^th, while Ngugi and Njoroge are on two over and are tied 51.

Meanwhile, the disqualification of Nicholas Rokoine from the event late on the first day was a setback to local golf fans.

Rokoine was disqualified from the tournament for signing wrong scores during the day locals were struggling to make the cut.

The Muthaiga Golf Club member said he was aware the scores were wrong and alerted his caddie to correct only to learn later that it was not rectified.

European Challenge Tour Press Officer Neil Ahern who is in charge of media affairs at the Kenya Open confirmed that the golfer is out of the whole tournament.

“A golfer must confirm his or her scores before signing his card and Rokoine didn’t do this,” said Ahern.

Rokoine had five Kenya Open appearances to his name before the ongoing contest. He has missed to make the cut only once in the five events. maillotdefootofficiel maillotdefootofficiel