By ENOCK NGOME 
All is set for this weekend’s fourth round of the Safaricom Business Golf Challenge to be staged at the par 72 Thika Golf Club.
Players from Ruiru Golf Club and Makuyu Sports Club will join Thika Golf Club golfers in a bid to qualify for the grand finals to be held at Vipingo Ridge, Mombasa, on 28th April 2012.
The event, which happens after the recent successful third tour held in Kakamega Golf Club, has attracted over 176 golfers who will battle it out for the top prizes.
Among the top players to definitely watch at the one -day tourney will be Edwin Kiarie who recently returned home from United States of America.
In the recent past, Kiarie who plays off handicap 5, has overshadowed all the long hitters at Thika Golf Club including former Captain Ndiga Githae and Maina Ruo.
Other players to beat will be Lawrence Ngamau (handicap 8) and home club Chairman James Mbugua who is in top form and is playing off handicap 14. He recently returned a superb score of 43 stable ford points at the par 72 Thika Golf club course.
Long hitter Julius Wanyagah, who works for Safaricom, will lead Ruiru Golf Club players while veteran golfer J.N Thairu will represent Makuyu Sports Club.
Other notable golfers will include Hon Engineer James Rege, Engineer Philip Gichuki, Brigadier Mohammed, Colonel G. Matu and Professor Ikenye amongst others.
The overall winner and 1st runner up from each qualifying event will win a fully paid trip to play in the grand final in April 2012 at the Vipingo Golf Club in Mombasa.
Among the array of prizes to be won on Saturday will be a fully loaded laptop, BlackBerry phones, Ideos phones, airtime and trophies.
Evans Nyagah the Safaricom Head of Sales and Retention- Enterprise Business Unit will grace the occasion and present the prizes.
From Thika the Safaricom sponsored challenge will move to Nakuru Golf Club on the 24th September 2011. Naivasha Sports Club, Gilgil Golf Club, Njoro Golf Club and Great Rift Valley Golf Club members are expected to all qualify from the same venue. nike air max damen nike air max damen

WINNERS SWING: Robinson Owiti follows his tee shot during the Karen Challenge at the weekend.

By ENOCK NGOME

Robinson Owiti of Vet Lab Club is this year’s Karen Challenge winner after registering a total score of 217 gross in the 54-hole event at the par 72 golf course.

The event was the 12^th round of this year’s Kenya Golfer of The Year (GOTY) series and Owiti who plays off handicap 1 earned 12 points towards the series from the Karen win, to leap to sixth position despite only featuring in four series events.

He missed the Mount Kenya Championships, Muthaiga Open, Windsor Classic, Limuru Open, Winstone Churchil, Trans Nzoia Championships and Kenya Amateur Matchplay.

In the first round of the Karen Challenge, Owiti played 68 gross, before posting 76 gross in the second round and finished with 73 gross in the third and final round.

After the 12 rounds, Joseph Karanja still leads the GOTY standings with 53 points, followed by Tom Omuli on 42.50 points and David Opati is third on 31 points.
Mathew Opondo is fourth on 27.50 points, while Nelson Simwa is fifth on 27.08 and Owiti is sixth on 26 points.

Limuru’s John Karichu playing off handicap two was the runner-up on 224 gross after posting a total of 224 gross after the 54-holes (74, 74, 76), while another Vet Lab player Nelson Simwa playing off scratch finished third on countback with 227 gross (77, 69, 81).

Handicap three player Robert Kisia won the nett category after posting 218 nett (73, 67, 78) and he was closely followed in the second position by Muthaiga’s handicap four player John Gitonga on 219 nett (75, 74, 70) and Thika’s Paul Kingori finished third on 219 nett after losing to Gitonga on countback.

Mwaniki Gachoka was the guest winner on 29 points, while Eddie Wainaina was the subsidiary winner on 37 points and G.K Kiaries had the nearest to the pin. nike air max schwarz nike air max schwarz