National golf team captain Francis Kimani of Limuru came from behind to emerge the 2011 champion of Nyali Open that ended at the par 71 Nyali Golf and Country club course in Mombasa on Sunday.

Kimani was surprisingly placed fourth after hitting a seven over par 78 gross and six over par 77 gross in the first and second rounds respectively for a total of 155 gross on Saturday. However, the off scratch player, pulled up his socks in the final rounds on Sunday, hitting a four over par 75 gross for a round total of 230 gross to claim the trophy.

Kimani started off the par five-first hole rolling a level par but dropped a bogey shot on the par four-second hole. He found the shortest par three-third hole easy rolling a level par and sunk a birdie on the par four-fourth hole before dropping a bogey shot on the par five-fifth hole.

Kimani recovered on the par three- sixth and the par four-seventh holes rolling a back to back level pars but again dropped a back to back bogey shots on the par four-eighth and the par four-ninth holes to close the outward nines on a three over par 39 gross.

In the back nines, Kimani rolled level pars on the par three-tenth, the par five-eleventh, the par four-fourteenth and the par four-sixteenth holes, but dropped bogey shots on the par four-twelth, the par four- thirteenth and the par three-fifteenth holes. The consistence golfer increased his points and received ululations from Club members when he closed the final rounds sinking back-to-back birdies on the par five-seventeenth hole and the last par three-eighteenth hole for a one over par 36 gross.

“The game had refused to obey my rules on Saturday, but I thank God that all was well on Sunday and many thanks to the Club’s green keeper for maintaining the course in an excellent condition,’ said Kimani.

Muthaiga’s Frank Matilo was the runner up on a point behind after tying on the same 231 gross each with Tanzania’s Nuru Molleli. The biggest loser was the overnight leader Abdulrehman Sihag of Nyali who dropped to the 18^th position on a 245 gross.

The American based golfer was leading in day one on a round total of 151 but ended up poorly in the final rounds posting a 23 over par 94 gross.

The other golfers in the top ten are Silvestor Odunga (Muthaiga), Robinson Owiti (Vet lab), David Opati (Golf Park), Mathews Omondi (Vet Lab), Justus Madoya (Great Rift), Alan Dainty (Nyali) and Amos Kamau (Leisure).

Golf Park’s Joseph Karanja Waweru who playing the Championship as formality, was crowned the 2011 Keringet Golfer of the Year (Goty) Champion and has also automatically qualified to play in the 2012 Barclays Kenya Open at Muthaiga Golf Club next year.

School boy Peter Muigai (16yrs) of Light Academy in Nairobi and a member  of Royal Golf Club ,shot a hole in one in the par three-fifteenthhole which was recorded as the first oneever in the history ofthe Nyali open.

Kenya tourism Development Corporation and Serengeti Waters are sponsoring the season ender tournament organized by the Kenya Golf Union, to determine Kenya’s top golf amateur in the Kenya golfer of the year (GOTY) series.

The Goty series, which comprises 18 tournaments that runs through the year in various golf courses across the Country, opens doors for young golf amateurs who not only go on to play against professionals in the Kenya Open but are selected into the National Men’s golfing team.

The series was started in 1981 to rank the country’s top amateur golfers and attracts a selection of players, across the Country, both amateur and professional golfers, and including caddies as young as 18 years, and seasoned golfers.

The Championships used to be a 36 holes competition up to 1998 and was first played over 54 holes in 1999. To play in the Keringet Golfer of the Year tournament, golfers must have at least a single handicap.

Mid last year, Keringet Water offered to sponsor all the Goty tournaments for the next three years, a big relief to some of the clubs, which have been struggling to find sponsors for their Goty tournaments.