Sigona Golf Club's club house where the event was held at the weekend

By DISMAS ONYANGO

Karen’s Paul Kaguamba beat a large field of seasoned golfers during the sixteenth qualifying edition of the Safaricom Business Golf challenge at the par 72 Sigona Golf club over the weekend.

Kaguamba who is also the current Kenya Golf Union representative combined 16 and 23 on outward and inward respectively for a good score of 39 to emerge the overall winner out of over 130 golfers.
Paul wins a fully sponsored grand finale for the challenge at the magnificent Vipingo Golf Resort, North Coast on April 28th this year.
Playing off handicap 6,Kaguamba set off with a par on par 4,dropped two shots on No.2 par 4 but recovered with two strong birdies on 3rd and 4th par 3 and 5 respectively. He shot double bogey and a bogey on 5th and 6th respectively.
He recovered with a par, scratched on eighth hole par 4 and a shot dropped on 9th hole par 5 for an outward 16.

Two birdies on par 5 fifteenth and par 4 seventeenth holes spiced up Kaguamba’s second nine hitting seven strokes more than his outward. He hit back to back pars on the rest of the holes performing well on the stroke index 2, 4, 6 and 8, 12th, 13th, 16th and 18th respectively.
“Apparently Sigona is one of the best courses in the country but very tricky to place your balls on the fairway due to tall trees all over. I opted for a 3 iron on all my tee shots which enabled me avoid trees and I was always on with two. A maximum of two putts and an easy win it was. “Said Kaguamba after receiving his trophy and fully sponsored ticket to the grand finale by Safaricom Head of Enterprise Business unit Evans Nyaga.
Handicap 20 Ajay Patel shot the second best for the day after combining an outward 18 and inward 21 for 39 stable ford who was defeated by Paul on count back.
Patel shot pars on 2nd, 5th, 10th, 11th, 12th, 16th, 17th and 18th on par 4, par 3, par 5, par 3, par 4, par 4, par 4 and par 4 respectively. He dropped shots on the rest of the holes scratching on 9th and 13th.He received a Dell laptop and also qualifies for the grand finale.

Jaswinder Channa playing off handicap 25 came in third overall with 37 stable ford points and fourth placed Jainil shah playing off 12 shot 37 stable ford points.

Safaricom Caddies completion which was held on Friday was won by Handicap 2 Gakuo Ndirangu who received Nokia phone and credit worth ksh.5000.
Junior prize went to Jaini shah who hit 37 stable ford points. Longest drive went to Kabil Choda and Jane Chadu respectively on the men and ladies categories.

Nearest to the pin went to handicap 9 James Njeke, staff prize won by handicap 28 Nicholas Lelesit and the Guest winner was Francis Wahome from Royal. All the winners in all various categories received mobile phones, credit and laptops from Safaricom.

The seventeenth Qualifying edition heads to Kiambu golf club on Saturday 3rd march where over 100 golfers are expected to qualify from the venue. air max 97 air max 97

Bipin Gathani during 2010 Dasani Gala at Karen Golf and Country Club. The club will be hosting the Ketepa Golf Day on Saturday.

By CORRESPONDENT

The annual Ketepa Golf Day takes place at the premium Karen Country Club tomorrow. With over 200 golfers expected to participate in what has grown to become one of the top golf events in Kenya, competition at Karen will be severe.

Announcing their 2012 committement to golf, the KETEPA CEO, Tim Chege said their focus in 2012 was on their Maisha water brand and their Iced Tea range of products.

“KETEPA is obviously famous for tea, but in sports we focus mainly on the Iced Tea products and our Maisha water,” Chege said. “This year, we will be at Karen, Kericho and a few other clubs throughout the country; we will announce those venues and dates soon.”

Among the golfers expected to participate at Karen is the long hitting duo of Guto Mogere and Anthony Gacheru, whose performance in 2012 has been good.

“I have had the chance to watch these young men play and their golf game off the tee is exceptional,” Chege added. “If they can harness their skills around the green, sharpen their putting and chipping skills, they will grow to be some of the best amateur golfers in this country.”

The sponsor, Tim Chege will tee off at 1pm in the company of Francis Mwanzia, Kanyi Gachoka and William Maara whilst KTDA Chairman Peter Kanyago will play in the company of Jimmy Kimondo, Dennis Awori and Ken Mungai.

The Muthaiga Open tees off today and will run through the weekend. The players to watch will be the elite squad of junior golfers from the Nyali Golf and Country Club  who will be in Nairobi under the stewardship of Taufiq Balala and Alice Wahome.

The young men will include, Mathew and Jeremy Wahome, the 14 and 16-year old brothers playing off handicaps of nine and seven respectively. Adil Balala, a strong 10-handicap golfer at the age of 13-years, John Mburu, 15-years, six-handicap, Agil Sihag, 13-handicap, 10-years, Gael Ntore, 17-years and five handicap.

The long hitting Daniel Nduva plays of handicap-five and is 16 years old and Tahir Mohammed, 14-years, is playing off a handicap of 10. The junior golf program at Nyali has been producing the best amateur golfers in East Africa and their entry into the Muthaiga Open will go a long way in assisting the young players hone their skills.

The Tusker Malt Golf Carnival takes a break this weekend and will resume next weekend at the Karen Country Club. pandora joyeria pandora joyeria