Junior Golfer Andrew Gathere tees off at the Golf Park during the inaugural Safaricom golf series launch.

By DANIELLA APIYO AND AMANDA DAMARIS

The Safaricom Golf Tour tournament will kick off this weekend on January 29 – 30, 2022, at Nanyuki Sports Club in Laikipia County. The two-day tournament comes shortly after the telco launched its golf tour series last weekend at Golf Park, Nairobi, with the aim of nurturing and growing talent in golf across the country.

The golf tour in Nanyuki has attracted 50 junior golfers and 52 corporate golfers in the armature category who will take part in the eighteen-hole tournament, which will also be preceded by community engagement at Kano Grounds.

“Nanyuki’s serenity offers a great environment for golf. So, here players will be able to set the tone for the standards of skills and sportsmanship that we expect in this year’s series from the lineup of sportsmen and women as well as young players,” said Peter Ndegwa, CEO Safaricom.

Last week, Safaricom launched its golf asset dubbed Safaricom Golf Tour which aims at nurturing and growing talent in the country. The telco has invested KES 100 million for this inaugural edition of the tour which will be played in various golf clubs across the country.

“Our objective for this golf tour is to demystify and make golf accessible to people. Our regional tours will help in transforming lives within the sport of golf, breaking down the barriers that have been built around it, which have made it to be seen as a non–inclusive sport,” said Mr. Ndegwa.

The Saturday tours will mostly feature corporates participating in the tournament with junior tournaments being held on Sundays and caddies on Mondays.

After Nanyuki, the tournament proceeds to Limuru Golf Club before heading to Muthaiga Golf Club.

Robson Chinhoi poses with the winners prize at Limuru Club.

By DANIELLA APIYO AND AMANDA DAMARIS

Zimbabwe’s Robson Chinhoi beat Kenya’s Erick Ooko by four shots, to claim the sixth leg of the 2021/2022 Safari Tour series at the par 72 Limuru Country Club course on Wednesday.

Starting the day in third place behind the third round leaders Justus Madoya and Ooko, Chinhoi produced a round of two under par 70 despite having bogeyed two holes in the final round, a score which saw clinch the title with an aggregate of two under par 286.

“This is not the kind of sores I had anticipated, but all the same, I am happy to have emerged the winner against very good players Madoya and Ooko’’ said Chinhoi who had bogeyed the second hole and at the 15^th in the back nine, with birdies coming on the third, seventh, 12^th and 18^th holes.

“I am looking forward for the remaining two events at Karen and Muthaiga where I hope to return better scores as we gear towards the Magical Kenya Open’’ added Chinhoi who leads the regional players in the “Road to Magical Kenya open’’ with a total of 104 points. 

Besides the trophy, Chinhoi picked up a Sh319,091 cheque, as Ooko who had an awful back nine, finished second with two over par 290 after posting four over par 76 in the final round.

Robson Chinhoi of Zimbabwe poses with the winner’s prize and cheque after the Limuru Leg of Safari Golf Tour.

Ooko blamed his take off from the tee particularly at the back nine where he dropped four shots, with only one birdie on his card. 

“I was really looking forward to win this event having led in three rounds, but my tee shots let me down today and in particular at the back nine where I was either pulling to the left of hitting to the right. This made it difficult for me hit enough greens on regulation’’ said Ooko who however took home Sh176,364.

“I know I have qualified for the Open, but I would like to win the remaining events because that will give the confidence in need as we approach the Magical Kenya Open’’ added the Golf Park based Ooko. 

It was equally a bad day for Great Rift Valley Golf Resort based Madoya who picked a bogey after a bogey during the day with a double at the ninth completely ruining his chances of clinching a back to back victory, having won the Uganda Open last month at Entebbe Golf Club.

He finally had to settle in fourth place on five over par 293 after closing with 79, and a shot worse than third placed Samuel Njoroge who shot 75 for 292. Junior amateur golfer Njoroge Kibugu tied for eighth place with senior pro Dismas Indiza on eight over par 296. He shot two over 74 in the final round same as Indiza. 

“I am very happy making the cut for a start though my second round was not very good, but I am working on my game to make sure that I am ready for the Open’’ said Kibugu who is travelling to Cape Town South Africa to play a couple of events and also try and correct some few problems in his game before he returns for the Open.

The final leader board:

Robson Chinhoi (Zim) 76. 71, 69, 70=286

Erick Ooko 70, 72, 72 76= 290

Samuel Njoroge 70, 75, 72, 75= 292

Justus Madoya 71, 72, 71, 79= 293

Simon Ngige 76, 73, 72, 73= 294

Mike Kisia 77, 68, 74, 75= 294

David Wakhu 76, 76, 75, 68= 295

Njoroge Kibugu(AM) 75, 77, 70, 74= 296

Dismas Indiza 78, 71, 7374= 296.