Dismas Indiza in action at Nyali Golf and Country Club today.

By DANIELLA APIYO AND AMANDA DAMARIS

Uganda’s Deo Akope shot three under par, his second in two days, to tie with Thika Sports Club’s Simon Ngige on two under par total, going into the final round of the 2021/2022 Safari Tour golf series at the par 71 Nyali Golf and Country Club course on Tuesday.
Staring with an eagle three at the par five‐first hole, Akope, a resident pro at Uganda Golf Club in Kampala, later pushed his driver to the right at the par five‐fifth hole, came out well but over shot the green, to drop his only shot of the day which he however managed to recover at the dog‐leg‐left eighth hole, then parred the first eight holes at the back nine until at the home green where he picked up a two‐club for the day’s 68 for a two rounds total of 211.
“I am just happy with my score even though I had a chance of going low but I did not want to be too aggressive as I know this course very well having played here many times’’ said Akope who said he will strictly follow his game plan which is to make sure he does not drop many shots but rather manage whatever comes.
“If I play and win, that will be most welcome as I will be the first Ugandan to win a safari Tour event, but I am not going to aggressively look for that’’ added Akope. On the other hand, Ngige who said his take off from the tee was not so good, hopes to try and go lower in the final round, though his plan like Akope is to try and minimise further damage. “I was able to make birdie on the par fives, because I was trying to make sure that I remain on course in every hole and that helped me to save pars on the long hole’’ said  Ngige who said he will embark on preparation for the Uganda now that the fifth leg at Leisure Lodge has been cancelled.
He dropped a shot at the uphill par three‐sixth but recovered a shot at the eighth and made two birdies at the back nine, but with a bogey in between. “I real think of what club to pick at the sixth, as I have tried eight and even seven but I don’t seem to get on to the green and that has been costing me par there leave alone a birdie’’said Ngige who finished on one under par 70 and a total of two under par 211.
Closing to a striking position was Golf Park’s David Wakhu who shot three under 68 to tie for third place with senior pro Dismas Indiza on level par 213. “I dropped two shots at the sixth and seventh though had started well, picking up a birdie at the third hole, but atleeast I was able to pick up three birdies at the back nine including a two at the 18th, and that made all the difference. I am happy with my round, and look forward to play with both Ngige and Akope who I have a lot of respect as experienced players’’ said Wakhu.
Indiza on the hand shot level par 71 for 213 and just a shot better than Muthaiga’s Mutahi Kibugu who posted two under par to move to fifth place on one over par 214. Meanwhile round two leader Robson Chinhoi picked up a 10 at the par five‐11th after hitting out of bbound, to drop to sixth place on two over 215, though he is only four shots behind, but he has to do a lot to return and finish at the top. Teeing off for the final round is set for 7.30am followed by the prize giving ceremony at 2pm.

THE LEADER BOARD AFTER THIRD ROUND AT NYALI:

Deo Akope (Ug) 75, 68, 68= 211

Simon Ngige 70, 71, 70= 211

David Wakhu 73, 72, 68= 213

Dismas Indiza 72, 70, 71= 213

Mutahi Kibugu 71, 74, 69= 214

Robson Chinhoi 72, 68, 75= 215

Aloys Nsabimana(Rw) 74, 71, 71= 216

Tranos Muradzikwa(Zim) 72, 73, 71= 216

Visitor Mapwanya (Zim) 74, 69, 73= 216

David Wakhu is showered with beer as he is congratulated for winning at Great Rift Valley Resort today.

By DANIELLA APIYO AND AMANDA DAMARIS

Golf Park’s David Wakhu claimed the third leg title at the par 71 Great Rift Valley Golf Resort in Naivasha despite bogeying six holes in the final round on Wednesday where he blamed slow play by the teams which played ahead of the last group.

“I real wanted an under par final round, but along the way I started putting badly despite having started with a birdie on the first hole which ended up being the only birdie of the round. We had to wait in every hole and that real messed my focus and concentration and my plan to score all under par rounds’’ said Wakhu who finished on level par in the opening nine after dropping a shot at the fifth hole.

But worse was to come at the back nine he three putted the 11th, then dafted his tee shot at the par three 12th, while after hitting a perfect driver at the par five‐14th, he waited for more than 10 minutes and that was followed by an out of bound approach eight iron shot which resulted in a bogey. He then three putted the par five‐17th and missed a birdie narrowly at the 18th for a five over par 76 and a four rounds total of over par 285.

“I am so grateful to my caddie Stephen Gachara and his boss Tom Fraser for their help during the week’’ added Wakhu who won by three shots from Kenya Railway Golf Club’s Samuel Njoroge.

David Wakhu posses with the Safari Tour trophy after winning the third leg at Great Rift Valley Resort today.

The over par score however denied him more cash usual given as under par scores bonus. All the same he Wakhu took home Sh276, 667. On the other hand, Njoroge who was in the last flight with Wakhu shot four over par 75 four over total of 288, with round one leader Greg Snow of Muthaiga posting 76 for five over par 289.

Youngster Mathew Wahome whose club Nyali is hosting the fourth leg next week, shot one over par 72 for a total of 290. The only under par score of two under 69 was posted by Rwanda’s Aloys Nsabimana which pushed him to ninth place on 293. “ I am happy at least I was able to play well though it came a bit late, but I believe my game is definitely going to improve as we go along’’ said Nsabimana who is sponsored by Falcon Country Club of Rwanda courtesy of leading amateur golfer in Rwanda, Innocent Rutamu.

It was a bad finish for Malawi’s Paul Chidale as he shot 78 in the final round to drop to tying seventh with senior pro DismasIndiza on 292. It was also a bad final round for home pro and defending champion Justus Madoya who after third round’s 69, he brought home to his fans though he picked up a number of bogeys in the final round for a disastrous 83 to drop to 14th place on 298, tying with second leg winner Robson Chinhoi of Zimbabwe and Golf Park’s Eric Ooko.

The final leader board:

David Wakhu 285 (69, 70, 70, 76)

Samuel Njoroge 288 (70, 74, 69, 75)

Greg Snow 289 (66, 73, 74, 76)

Mathew Wahome 290 (71, 76, 71, 72)

Ganeev Giddie 291 (73, 73, 72, 73)

Tafara Mpofu 291 (70, 74, 73, 74)

Dismas Indiza 292 (69, 72, 80, 71)

Paul Chidale (Maw) 292 (70, 75, 69, 78)