SHOT: NR Shah follows his tee shot during the fifth leg of the Dasani Golf Gala at Railway Golf Club last weekend. Dasani action moves to Nyali Golf & Country Club this weekend.

By JAMES WAINDI

Stakes will be raised when a total of 149 players converge at the par 71 Nyali Golf and Country Club on Saturday for the sixth leg of the ongoing Dasani Golf Gala Series.

Only teams of eight players out of the large field will qualify for the Gala’s Grand Finale slated for Karen Golf and Country Club on September 29, making today’s action breath taking.

According to the club captain Dick Muli, the course in a great condition following the recent rains that have been pounding the Coast region and he has cautioned players that it will be playing long.

All top golfers in the region will be taking part in the daylong competition. The club’s chairman Gurbux Singh has been grouped in a strong team that is among the favoured to win. The other team to watch will be the one of Chris Wilson from Malindi Golf Club.

The Wahome family also has a strong family team that could claim the stakes. The family is made up of two juniors Jeremy & Mathew who are in excellent form. Not to be left out is the team of Diana Munyao who will be teaming up with evergreen Christine Ockotch.

Golf writers Larry Ngala and James Waindi will also be seeking to claim the guest prize, but they will certainly get a run for their money from members of different golf clubs.

The qualifier, which follows Kiambu, Thika, Vet Lab, Windsor and Railway, will bring together players from home club Nyali Club, Malindi Golf Club and Mombasa golf Club.

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. michael kors rebajas michael kors rebajas

WINNING TOUCH: Golf Park's Tony Omuli follows his tee during the Kenya Amateur Matchplay Championships at the weekend. He emerged the winner.

By JAMES WAINDI

This year’s Kenya Amateur Match Play Championships held at the Windsor Golf and Country Club could only be described as a roller coaster after the thrills that were produced in the 72-hole competition.

The Championship which is part of the Keringet Golfer of the year series was characterised by stiff competition that saw some of Kenya’s leading Amateur golfers losing to otherwise unknown players.

A number of unknown players made their way to the final with several upsets on the way to send a warning to seasoned players.

P. Muchangi of Limuru Golf Club playing off handicap 3, superseded all expectations gathering his first points since the GOTY series started in January. The player who eventually finished runner up at the prestigious championship had seen off National Team Player and defending champion Karanja J.W of Golf Park in the Semi Finals.

At the breath taking finals, Tony Omuli also of Golf Park went 6 up against Muchangi in the morning round, but the afternoon duel was however more balanced with the eventual winner T. Omuli finally winning 4/3.

For his grand effort and reaching the final Muchangi garnered 14 points against Omuli’s 16 points to break into the Top 10 position of the current GOTY standings, simply from a single feat.

Omuli moved up to fourth position in the standings while current leader David Opati maintains his lead at the helm despite having a dismal performance at the championships that saw him fail to pick any points.

His lead now hangs in the balance as he only enjoy’s a slim lead of 0.75 points over second placed Wangai C. J of Kenya Railway Club. Wangai could have leaped over Opati in the standings, but he was struck by the same fate as he also left the Championship with no pints having lost to D. Nduva in the Quarter Finals.

While awarding the winner with the Championship trophy, Keringet Brand Manager Charles Gitau was especially impressed by the high level of competition and consistency displayed by both players.

Muchangi who will now be treated with a lot of cautiousness in the remaining GOTY events also claimed the scalps of national team player J. Ndichu on his way to the finals.

In his speech, Muchangi remarked that he was encouraged by his Limuru team members who came in numbers to support him. The challenge is now on the upcoming player to deliver during the next event which will be in his back yard during the Limuru Open between July 13 and 14.

The winner of the Keringet Sponsored Kenya Amateur Match Play championship received an automatic ticket to play at next year’s Kenya Open Golf Championships. nike air max bw nike air max bw