KAREN HERE WE COME: From left to right, winners of Nakuru' s Dasani Golf Gala, Fr Augustine Kipkemei, Miriam Wanjiku, Fr Paul Gitonga, and Brother Francis Njoroge.

By CORRESPONDENT

A team made up of three clergymen and a lady posted one of the best scores in the ongoing Dasani Golf Gala to win the ninth leg of the series at the par 73 Nakuru Golf Club on Saturday.

The team comprising of Fr Augustine Kipkemei playing off handsicap 14, handicap 10 Fr Paul Gitonga, Brother Francis Njoroge playing off handcap 18 and handicap 24 Miriam Wanjiku posted a combined score of 119 points to carry the day in the daylong event that had attracted 122 players and in the process booked a ticket to the tournament’s Grand Finale slated for the Karen Golf and Country Club on September 29.

Kipkemei anchored the team with an impressive score of 43 points, while Njoroge contributed 39 points and Gitonga had 37 points. Wanjiku was the team’s weakest link as she only managed 30 points.

“We know each other well in our team and we have been playing together for some time now. Going by our form we clearly knew that on a good day we were going to win and that is what happened exactly. Initially we were to be one brother and three priests to form the church team, but unfortunately father Chris Kamau abruptly had to attend to a burial in Kisumu and we made a last minute replacement to bring in Miriam Wanjiru who I can was a perfect replacement,” said Brother Njoroge who spoke on behalf of the team.

He added: “We plan to play at the Karen course at least twice before the finale because we are not leaving anything to chance with the Dubai trip at stake. We have to go to Dubai.”

The Njoro team of Alfred Nandwa, Charles Angwenyi, Stephen Mwangi and Mandip Sahota posted a combined score of 114 points to finish second on count back and book a slot to the finale.

Nandwa playing off handicap 1 posted Nandwa playing off handicap 1 anchored the team with 42 points, while Angwenyi playing off 14 posted 33 points and handicap 12 Sahota amassed 39 points. Handicap 12 Mwangi was the team’s weakest link on 32 points.

The team of Carol Njeru (41), Peter Kamau Mwai (37), Thomas Chege (36) and Karori Kahuthu (29) also scored 114 points and will be the reserve team at the finale.

Being the half way mark of the ongoing series, so far 72 players have booked a ticket to play at the finale from the nine events hosted.

Idris Situma won the guest prize on 36 points, while Ian Nderitu playing off handicap 19 won the junior prize on 34 points and Muna Njenga had the nearest to the pin.

The grand prize this year 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,” said Steve Maikweki, the Assistant Brand Manager Coca Cola Kenya, who graced the prize giving ceremony.
Action now returns to Nairobi next week where eight more qualifiers would be picked from the10th leg to be held at the Karen Golf and Country Club on Saturday. nike air max homme pas cher nike air max homme pas cher

WELL OUT: Royal's Haren Patel comes from the bunker during the eight leg at the Royal Club last weekend.

By JAMES WAINDI

The 2012 Dasani Golf Gala hits the halfway mark this weekend when the par 73 Nakuru Golf Course,a scenic 18 hole course opened in 1929 and resting peacefully on the slopes of the Menengai Crater, hosts the ninth qualifying round on Saturday 21 July 2012.A total of 84 players from Nakuru (the home club),  Njoro, Naivasha, Great Rift and Gilgil will be in action.

Club captain Karinga Wambugu says, “Players will not only enjoy a round of golf at the competition, but the lovely scenery of the course which borders the famous Menengai Crater and overlooks the pink dotted Lake Nakuru.”

He went on to add, “This is one of the most challenging golf courses in the country,it plays long.This course is in superb condition, thanks to our greenkeeper
and the good rains we have experienced this year.  If you keep to the fairways, you definitely have no trouble because the fairways are well manicured and quite inviting, but a slight wrong turn would mean problems for any player.Some greens are slow, others very fast. ”

The signature hole on the course is hole 17, a par three of about 181 yards, which has a rich history in various tournaments. It has the longest donker or rather valley from the tee box to the green which is quite intimidating.Another tricky hole will be hole number 12, which is a Par 4 as it always causes trouble for both long and short hitters.”

According to Wambugu, the team to watch will be the combination of A. Nadwa, C. Angwenyi, M. Sahota and S. Mwangi of Nakuru and Njoro. He also noted that the quartet of Brother F. Njoroge, Fr. C. Kamau, Fr. A. Kipkemei, & Fr. P. Gitonga and the team comprising of D. Kimambo, L. Kamau, O. Robert and J. Kaime would be the likeliest challengers for top place in Nakuru.

The winners of this qualifying round will join winners from the eight qualifiers that have been played to date at Kiambu, Thika, Vet Lab, Winsdor,Railways,Nyali, Leisure and Royal to fight a berth to the Dasani Golf Gala’s Grand Finale to be played at the Karen Country Club on Saturday 29 September 2012 alongside winners from remaining qualifiers.

The winning team at the Grand Finale will win an all expense paid trip to Dubai where they shall witness the culmination of the “Race to Dubai” at the DP World Tour Championship at the Jumeirah Golf Estates from November 22-25 this year. While in Dubai, they shall get to sample some of the world’s best golf courses when they get to play rounds of golf at the Dubai Creek Course and the Faldo Course,located at the Emirates Club and designed by multiple masters winner Sir Nick Faldo. nike air max bw nike air max bw