WELL OUT: Mike Ongom comes out of the bunker at the 18th hole during last weekend’s qualifier at Muthaiga Golf Club. Limuru Club hosts the last qualifier on Saturday.

By FIDEL ONO

Stakes will be raised as a large field of 196 players come together to rub shoulders and seek the last eight remaining slots in the final qualifier of this year’s Dasani Golf Gala at the par 71 Limuru Golf Country and Country Club on Saturday.

After a marathon series that started with the Kiambu qualifier in May, the qualifiers come to an end this weekend with the 18^th leg in Limuru where only eight players from the large field of 196 will book tickets to the Grand Finale slated for September 29 at the Karen Golf and Country Club, making Saturday’s event a must watch. It will certainly be explosive, given the fact that all the players who are keen to qualify for the finale will throw all their ammunition at Limuru to seek the limited slots.

So far, the series has gone through Kiambu, Vet Lab, Thika, Railway, Sigona, Royal, Karen, Nakuru, Machakos, Nakuru, Nyeri, Nyali, Leisure Lodge, Kisii, Eldoret, Muthaiga and Nyanza.

According to Limuru Club’s chairman Yassin Awale, players would be in for a great treat as the course is current lash courtesy of the recent rains, but he has warned that posting more than 4o points would not be an easy feet.

“We are used to hosting many golfers, in fact last weekend we hosted more than 200 players for the KPMG Golf Day so we are happy to have 196 players this weekend as well. The course is currently lash and players will also have a great chance of putting their woes aside when we visit our social able 19^th hole after the event,” said Awale.

He added: “The fairway is tight and roughs are very rough, so players are advised to keep the ball in the fairway if they want to excel. The greens are also pretty fast from my experience during the Club Night on Wednesday.”

This year, the grand prize will see the winning team of four players travel to Dubai to attend the Grand Finale of the European Tour, the DP World Tour Championships at the Jumeirah Golf Estates. While in Dubai, they will also have the opportunity to see Europe’s top 60 money earners on the 2012 Order of Merit battle it out for a 1.3 million winner’s cheque.

In addition, they will play at some of the best golf courses in the region, including the Dubai Creek Course and the challenging Faldo Course at the Emirates Golf Club, a course designed by former world number 1 and six-time major Champion Sir Nick Faldo. maillot de foot 2018 maillot de foot 2018

CATCH ME IF YOU CAN: David Opati in action at a past event. He still lead’s the GOTY series’ standings.

By DISMAS ONYANGO

Amateur golfer Nadeem Alibhai needed a sudden death play-off to beat Kenneth Bollo  and win his first GOTY event of the season, the Karen Challenge at the Karen Country Club after they both tied on 219 points.

Little known Bollo looked destined for the title after stunning an experienced field that included Golf of the Year Series leader David Opati and Nelson Simwa. He recorded 78 gross in first round, posted 70 in round two and wrapped up his sterling performance with 71 in the final round at the 54 holes Challenge.

It was not easy sailing for Bollo as he tied on 219 gross with Alibhai forcing organizers of the event to apply sudden death rule to determine the ultimate winner.

Albhai, the second round aggregate winner, scored 75 gross in round one and added 69 and 75 in next two rounds for the tally of 219 that placed him in second position.

Golfer of the Year (GOTY) Series leader Opati beat Nelson Simwa on yet another count back to finish third overall during the two days competition.

Opati managed 75 gross in round one and added 76 and 71 in next two rounds to end on 222 while Simwa posted 75, 75 and 73 gross to occupy fourth position.

The competition was so tight that John Muiruri needed count back to beat Musa Kisia to the nett winner trophy after the two had tied on 211 points.

Muiruri recorded 73 nett in first round and then added 67 in second round before wrapping up the show with 71 in the third round.

Kisia started off well in round one with impressive 69 but dropped to 70 and 72 in next two rounds on way to finishing second in the tournament which was one of the most competitive in the ongoing GOTY Series.

Gross winner Bollo proved a point after he posted 213 points (76, 68, 69) to finish third overall in the nett ranking.

Anthony Murage came fourth on 215 (71, 73, 71) followed by N Chandaria on 216 (74, 69, 73) who beat N Alibhai (74, 68, 74) and M Lemoshira (70, 71, 75) on count back to finish fifth.

Karen Challenge was 13^th round of the GOTY events sponsored by Keringet Mineral Water and organized by the Kenya Golf Union.

The last five events are: Kenya Amateur Strokeplay Championships (October 20^th), Manchester Salver (November 3-4), Uhuru Shield (November 30 to December 1) and Nyali Open (December 15-16). michael kors site officiel michael kors site officiel