Amateurs converge on Nyali for Golf Championship
Kenneth Bollo follows his chip from the chipping range during a past tournament. Bollo leads Kenya’s title hunt at this year’s Nyali Open golf tournament which starts on December 9, 2016. PHOTO | CHRIS OMOLLO |
What you need to know:
- Bollo leads Kenya’s charge at annual tournament
- Golfers from East Africa battle for top honours in Goty grand finale from Friday
- Goty champion John Karichu, who also won the series in 2013, 2014 and 2015, moved to third in the series this week after winning Uhuru Shield last weekend.
The stage is finally set for this year’s Nyali Open Golf Championship, as a field of 112 leading amateurs drawn from across East Africa converge on the challenging 6,509-yard par-71 Nyali Golf and Country Club course.
The first round of the 54-hole event, which is the grand finale of the Kenya Golf Union Golfer of The Year (Goty) series, starts at 7.30am on Friday.
However, the event, sponsored by Grain Bulk Handlers, Shikara Limited, Basco Paints, AAR Health Care and Car and General, starts Thursday with a curtain-raiser practice round.
By the time the draw was being done on Wednesday evening, regular participants from Uganda and Rwanda were yet to send names of their players for the event. Should they fail to show up at Nyali by 7am Friday, this year’s tournament will be a battle between Kenya and Tanzania.
Going by the draw released by Nyali captain Keli Muindi, Dar es Salaam Gymkhana Club-based Victor Joseph will lead Tanzania’s quest for the title and World Amateur ranking points.
Now playing off handicap two, Joseph is a regular participant in most local tournaments. He will team up with, among others, Abbas Adam, also from Dar Gymkhana.
Leading Kenya’s title challenge will be defending champion Kenneth Bollo of Royal Nairobi Golf Club. Bollo narrowly beat Mathew Wahome last year to clinch the title in a tight finish decided at the last hole.
Bollo currently leads the Goty series with a combined total of 298.50 points, followed by Muthaiga’s Jeff Kubwa (245.25 points). Should Bollo fail to score points at Nyali, he will still be crowned the best amateur golfer in Kenya.
Goty champion John Karichu, who also won the series in 2013, 2014 and 2015, moved to third in the series this week after winning Uhuru Shield last weekend.
“My golf is great at the moment. I may not retain Goty title this year but I would like to win at Nyali to secure a place in next year’s Kenya Open," said Karichu after his victory at Royal.
His win at Royal however only brought his total of score to 232.25 points for third place. All the same, the battle is certainly going to be between Bollo, Karichu, Kubwa, home players George Munyao, his brother Daniel Nduva and the South Africa-based Wahome.
