Stefan Andersen in a past action

By ENOCK NGOME

Six birdies and three bogies, saw Kenya’s professional Stefan Anderson play three under, 69 in the second round of the Gujarat Kensville Challenge in Ahmedabad India and in the process finished the day tied 19th as the rest of the scores still trickled in.

The player who turned pro late last year moved 45 places up and is poised to earn his first professional win.

Meanwhile, spurred by the sensational final round of nine-under 63 at the Asian Tour Final Qualifying in Cha Am, Thailand, last week, India’s Rahil Gangjee continued his fine touch as he fired a fourunder par 68 to take a onestroke lead at the end of the opening round of the Gujarat Kensville Challenge in Ahmedabad on Thursday.

Delhi golfer Shiv Kapur, too, started his campaign on a high. He shot a bogey-free three under 69 and joined Gary Lockerby (England) and Dodge Kemmer (USA) for the tied second position.

Manav Jaini ensured India’s dominance as he recovered to score 70 to be placed tied fifth with six golfers.

Defending champion Gaganjeet Bhullar managed one-under 71 and is sharing the 12th position with Chiragh Kumar, Ranjit Singh and others.

Gangjee hogged the limelight last week at Cha Am where he finished tied second and earned an Asian Tour card for a year. On Thursday, at the Kensville Golf and Country Club, he shone again with a brilliant round, strewn with seven birdies. The three bogeys on the back nine came as a spoiler.

“It was good to follow a nineunder last week with a fourunder today. Before starting the round, I told myself to keep the basics in place and I am happy to perform to my expectation,” he said.

Gangjee made his intentions clear on the second hole, sinking a 15-footer birdie putt. He propelled to four-under after front nine with birdies coming on third, sixth and seventh holes.

He continued the birdie blitz with two more on 10th and 12th, before conceding bogeys on the next two holes.

On 13th, he misjudged his putt while on 14th, his second shot sank into water. The Kolkata pro staged a recovery with a birdie on 15th, holing his longest putt of the day from 20 feet.

But the eventful round had a forgettable end as Gangjee dropped a shot on the closing hole, missing a par putt from eight feet.

“It was a good start overall and I will try to maintain the momentum tomorrow,” said Gangjee.

While Gangjee was keeping the clubhouse abuzz with his bridie spree throughout the day, his old friend Kapur was not far behind. The Delhi golfer was even par after the first 10 holes but he turned his fortunes around with birdies on 11th, 13th and 14th holes.

“I am feeling good after a bogey-free round as I have not played competitive golf in a month,” said Kapur. michael kors tasche sale michael kors tasche sale

Kenya Airways Golf Safari Kiambu's invite.

By ENOCK NGOME

The par 72 nine holes Kiambu Golf Club tomorrow plays host to the ongoing Kenya Airways Golf Safari where a large field of about 160 players are expected to rub shoulders.

The event with the theme ‘Fly and Drive’ will see competitors battle for different honours and a ticket to the grand finals in Nairobi next month.

This year’s Kenya Airways Golf Safari was sponsored to a tune of Sh15, 000 million and will have witnessed 35 rounds by the time of the grand final, 24 events more than the previous events where the series was only played over 11 rounds.

The third edition of the event has also for the first time witnessed the series go out of the continent as two events are planned for Bangkok, Thailand and Guanzhou, China, where the flight goes to.

Other countries that the tournament visited are Egypt, Cameroon, Ghana, Cote D’Ivore, Senegal, Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Sechelles, Rwanda, Uganda and Tanzania.

During the tournament, the airline has been offering packages that tour operators can use to promote Kenya as a super golf destination.

Meanwhile, a second nine score of 22 stableford points was enough for home player Tom Simba to beat Maina Mukoma and Renato D’Souza on countback to emerge the overall winner of the Kenya Power and Lighting Corporation (KPLC) Golf Day at Karen Golf Club at the weekend.

Simba playing off handicap 17 posted 19 stableford points in the first nine and amassed 22 in the back nine for a total of 41 points. Mukoma settled for the runner-up position on 41 points (21, 20) and D’Souza playing off handicap 12 was the men runner-up 41 points as well (23, 18).

Betty Gacheru playing off handicap 18 was the lady winner on a count back score of 36 points (14, 22) after she beat handicap 27 Flora Wokabi who settled for the runner up position in the category on 36 points (21, 15). canada goose sale canada goose sale