Dismas Indiza smiles after winning Safari Tour in Limuru

By DANIELLA APIYO AND AMANDA DAMARIS

Dismas Indiza of Mumias Golf Club rallied from behind to turn the tables on three-day leader Zimbabwean Visitor Mapwanya, beating him by a single shot to bag the Safari Tour event at the par 72 Limuru Country Club Safari on a score of -14.

Indiza finished with a score of 65 in the final round thanks to eight birdies that were superior to a single bogey he picked at hole 3 while Mapwanya seemed to be under pressure from Indiza’s chase in the back nine where he suffered a setback owing to three bogeys while Indiza got four birdies. In the end, Mapwanya finished with a score of 72.

After the win, Indiza said “Am very happy for my win today and I thank God for how things turned up, I played basic golf; drove to the fairway, to the green, and putt, and thats how I won it. Am very sorry to my colleague Visitor Mapwanya (ZIM) for taking food from his mouth, he’s a good player and I admire his game,” Dismas Indiza told People Sports.

Indiza also had a message for the Safari tour organizers and the sponsors. “It’s been about three years when we played better golf than this and we are pleading with the organizers to raise the prize money otherwise I will have no choice but to continue to take food from the mouths of other golfers,” he added.

As a result of the win Indiza returned to Mumias 150,000 richer while the runners, Visitor Mapwanya pocketed Sh 100,000. Greg Snow and Samuel Njoroge tied for third place with -5 and each got a cheque of Sh 77,500.

Chairman PGK CJ Wangai is hopeful the Safari tour golf series will grow. “We understand the current economy but the organizers have still managed to do a wonderful job. We have players from over seven countries participating in the Safari tour and we pray as we go forward that we will have the participants number increased as well as the prize money, that is my request to KOGL.” PGK chairman CJ Wangai told People Sports.
Meanwhile, the title win also came with precious points for his campaign to make a cut in next month’s Magical Kenya Open (MKO) where he widened a big gap on the overall points where he is placed first with 213.0.

Following Indiza on the overall standings of the road to the Kenya Open is Samuel Njoroge of Kenya Railways with 179.5 while Daniel Nduva, Greg Snow, and Visitor Mapwanya are placed 3rd to 5th respectively.

A total of eight professional Kenyan golfers from the Safari Tour golf series will seal their fate in next month’s MKO.

Final leaderboard from the Limuru Safari tour:

Dismas Indiza.                  -14

Visitor Mapwanya.            -13

Greg Snow.                        -5

Samuel Njoroge.               -5

Daniel Nduva.                    -4

Njoroge Kibugu.                -2

Mohit Mediratta.                -1

Dave Kamulindwa.             -1

John Kagiri.                    PAR

Mike Kisia in action at Vet Lab today.

By DANIELLA APIYO AND AMANDA DAMARIS

Homeboy Mike Kisia from Vet Lab Sports Club today emerged the winner of the second leg of the Safari tour golf series on home course, the par 72 VetLab golf club courtesy of an impressive gross score of 292.

The second leg of the series had attracted over 50 golfers from Uganda, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Malawi, and the hosts Kenya for four days in a row culminating yesterday.

Elated by the win, Kisia walked home with a cash prize of Sh150,000. Speaking to the People Daily sports, Kisia was grateful to God and his sponsors for making his win possible as he looks forward to maintaining his game in the subsequent legs.

“I thank God for this win, and am very grateful to my sponsors including Betika and my caddie for playing his part on the course. Am so happy for my first Safari Tour win and God willing am hoping to capture more wins in the remaining legs.”

Kisia’s rounds unfolded as follows: 75 in the first round, 70 in the second, 75 in the third, and 72 in the fourth round, showcasing his consistency and resilience on the golf course. His outstanding efforts earned him the coveted first-place position, accompanied by a well-deserved prize of Sh150,000.

Notably, Dismas Indiza from Mumias Golf Club and Samuel Njoroge from Railway Golf Club tied for second, each concluding the tournament with a total score of 295. Both players walked away with prizes of Sh90,000.

“We are thrilled to witness such outstanding performances from the golf professionals in Kenya. Betika is committed to supporting the growth and development of golf in the country, and we look forward to continuing our partnership with the Kenya Golf Union and the Safari Tour. Congratulations to Mike Kisia and all the winners of the day,” said Erick Muiti from Betika.

Philip Ochola, Chairman of the Kenya Golf Union, extended his appreciation to all participants, saying, “I want to thank each player for their exceptional performance and sportsmanship throughout the event. Your dedication contributes to the success of these events, and I look forward to seeing more remarkable displays in the upcoming tournaments.” Furthermore, Chairman Ochola confirmed that there are four more events scheduled for the following year, promising continued excitement for golf enthusiasts. He also announced that the top eight players from the series will have the prestigious opportunity to participate in the 2024 Magical Kenya Open, further elevating the significance of the Safari Tour.