By THE BUDDY

Just like one of Kenya’s best golfers John Mucheru, her daughter Liza Mucheru Wisner seem to have picked up a number of traits from her father and makes not only the family proud of her achievements, but the golf fraternity as well and the country as a whole.

Liza 30 years old started her golf career in Kenya as a young golfer, she learned how to play the sport at a very young age from her late father John Mucheru who was a golfing legend in Kenya as he captured 11 Kenyan National Chaqmpionships before his ultimate death in 1996.

Liza progress was steady and she became a member of the Kenyan National Women’s Golf team and even won the Kenya National Championship title  as well as capturing medal honours at numerous national tournaments.

She represented Kenya international in various occasions including the 1998 Eats African Match Play Championships held in Kampala, Uganda, where she finished fifth overall. She also played for Kenya at the 1999 All African Strokeplay Championship in Zambia.

Liza has also been a former Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi women’s golfer and played for the university’s women’s Golf Team from 1999 to 2003 and was fourth all-time in the school history with 27 tournaments played and attained nine top 10 finishes.

She strives to balance being an amazing business owner, wife and mother.  Liza, 30 completed her education and received her master’s degree while simultaneously starting an educational technology company. However, her business venture fell victim to the recession and she is struggling to make it a success.

Liza shares her time between the Texas Techies children’s pilot program she developed, and the ELITE graduate student retention program at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi. Texas Techies provides at-risk children with an advanced technology curriculum that helps them to develop into engaged global citizens and assets to their families and communities.

The ELITE graduate program provides advanced support and technology services for students pursuing graduate studies. Liza’s passion for technology and education comes from her own positive educational experiences, as well as the surprising progress she observed in her own children as they discovered technology at different stages of development.

She was recently in Kenya for a tour while she was still a candidate on The Apprentice, Season 10.  The Apprentice is a television show that depicts 16 contestants with various backgrounds competing in an elimination-style competition to become an apprentice to Donald Trump, Chairman and CEO of the Trump Organization, and a US-based real-estate developer. The winning contestant eventually got an opportunity to work for Mr. Trump as the president of one of his companies for at least one year with an annual salary of $250,000.

While in Kenya, she visited schools and paid a courtesy call on Muthaiga Golf Club, perceived to be the home of Kenyan golf. She met with our Golf100 reporters and had a number of things to talk about. Now a wife and mother of two, she works hard to stay connected with her family in Kenya and Ireland, and is looking for opportunities to grow and expand her business. She is an avid fan of golf, and is a belly dancer and aerobics instructor on the side.

Q&A

Q) Why did you want to be on the Apprentice show, and why did you think you’d make a good competitor?

A) There are certain opportunities in one’s life that are life-changing and can’t be ignored. The Apprentice provided a pathway to brighten the future for me and my family. From playing golf to coordinating projects and businesses, I always try to do my best and have been lucky enough to have always been surrounded by great minds and competitive individuals who inspired my passion, and ultimately made me strive to be the best I can be.

Q) What was your reaction when you found out you’d been picked to be on the show? How did your friends and family react?
A) “Good glory hallelujah! My prayers have been answered.” My family and close friends were ecstatic and fully supportive in taking care of any needs that were necessary for my leave of absence.

Q) With cameras rolling, how does it feel to know you’re under America’s microscope? What surprised you about the experience?
A) At first I was very conscious about the overwhelming ambiance that the producers and cameras created, but eventually I was able to adjust and perform as if they didn’t exist. I was surprised at how much the cameras hindered me initially, as I felt there was always someone watching over my shoulder, waiting for me to make a mistake so they can entertain the world, spotlighting my weaknesses. Upon self-reflection, it challenged me to perform better even when time and resources were against me.

Q) Was the competition harder than you might have expected before?
A) I had preconceived notions of the team dynamic and rivalry, but I was surprised at how people were always plotting for my demise. Watching my own back proved to be more difficult than I expected.

Q) Did you have a favorite past winner or contestant from either the original Apprentice, or from Celebrity Apprentice?
A) Even though she didn’t win, Celebrity Apprentice finalist Annie Duke gave a stellar performance, and she inspired me with her goal-driven tenacity and will for success.

Q) Beyond The Apprentice, what’s your dream job? Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
A) My dream job is yet undefined. My entrepreneurial spirit leads me in the direction of providing services and management to businesses and communities using cutting-edge technology and innovative human resources. In 10 years, I envision myself as part of the success of a multi-national company, which would establish global connections and utilize human potential and resources producing progressive exponential results. After ensuring my family’s financial security, it would be great to spend some time traveling the world, and playing every single golf course possible, from sand greens to the Xtreme 19th. nike air max thea schwarz nike air max thea schwarz

By THE BUDDY

She used to sink birdies and eagles during her expansive golfing career, now Rose Naliaka, the legendary lady golfer is returning to the sport in a unique way, with a target of increasing the number of female golfers in the country.

Standing at slightly more than six foot tall, she would easily pass as a basketball player, but Naliaka decided to venture into playing golf, a sport she has now played for more than 30 years after being influenced by friends at her native place, Kitale.

She was not deterred by the fact that the sport was elitist and costly to practice during the 1970’s.

“I started playing golf without money. I had a job yes, but I think I was earning something like Ksh2, 000,” said Naliaka.

She played amateur golf for 25 years before turning professional in 2005 and this virtually became her launch pad in the sport, making her a household name in the regional and international events, receiving numerous accolades. The 55 year-old relishes the sport and was not cowed when she played against the world’s best female golfers.

She has traveled around the world and played in some of the world’s best courses, never the less, she is dismayed that she cannot compete locally or within the region.

“I don’t have any competition at all in Kenya or East and Central Africa. I think I am the only female professional golfer in the entire region,” said Naliaka who worked in administration at the BBC monitoring before retiring last year.

She has started a golf academy at the Golf Park in Nairobi, one of its own in the country, targeting young girls of different back grounds, but says more need to be done.

“It would be great if we have public golf courses around the country so that children should try their hands in golf from all parts of the country.

Naliaka says she started the academy to give poor girls a chance in life. She does this by organising workshops, seminars and golf clinics for the girls. The girls of different age groups regularly converge at the nine-hole Golf Park course every Saturday morning to receive priceless tips from the veteran golfer and all this is done at no cost.

“Golf is about personal discipline and this is what my girls are learning here,” says Naliaka.

Just three years after the academy started, the lessons are paying off. There are four girls who are highly rated and play in the junior national team.

Some team members who have posted impressive results on and off the golf course are Mary Snider, Agnes Azetse, Sarah Owasi, Loise Akinyi and Ashley Ouma.

Naliaka believes that the sport is a great source of income and urges young ladies to take it seriously as it could be their source of lively hood in future.

“I personally know of many lady golfers who have made millions from playing golf and these young girls can achieve the same feat. In fact they stand a better chance because they have started playing golf at a tender age, whereas some one like me I started playing in my 20’s,” Naliaka said.

When I visited the academy recently, Agnes Azetse swung her golf club and hit the ball, which flew into the horizon. She was demonstrating skills she learnt on golf courses in St Andrews, Scotland mid last year. Agnes and three other girls — Naomi Wafula, Mutindi Kithu and Mercy Nyanjama — went to Scotland last July on a golf educational tour.

“It was great being in Scotland. I learnt many golf techniques and life skills,” Agnes, 10, told Golf100.

“I practice hard and make sure my shots are perfect every time,” Ashley says.

She would like to follow in the footsteps of Rose Naliaka, the only professional woman golfer in Kenya and founder of the academy. nike air max schwarz nike air max schwarz