'Battle Royale’ for 150 players

The stage is set at the par 72 Royal Nairobi Golf Club course on Friday where a field of 150 begins the hunt for the 2016 Chairman’s Prize (Sammy Itemere) golf tournament title.

But the week-long event sponsored by Communications Authority(CA), Huawei, DStv, Jamii Telkom, Nation Media Group, KBC, KCAA, and Posta amongst others, started with the caddies competition held on Monday.

This was followed by the professional event as well as the members club-nite on Wednesday, where local pros Hesbon Kutwa (inset) and Erick Ooko shot one over par 73 each to tie for the first place.

They were a shot better than Kopan Timbe and Nelson Mudanyi of Muthaiga, while also tying on four over par 76 were Anil Shah and Ken Abuto.
The club-nite event was won by Oscar Ikinu with an impressive score of 40 points made up of 20 in each nine, beating Jones Kimeu by two points as David Mugun defeated Dennis Saikwa and D.L. Modi on countback with 37 points.

Dennis Saikwa took the gross with one under par one under par 71.

Back in Friday’s first round, which will coincide with the official opening of the re-designed club-house in the evening, a field of 224 players were drawn including guests of the chairman and the various sponsors.

Teeing off is set for 7.44am on both first and 10th tee.

Those drawn include the club chairman Sammy Itemere, who is drawn at 12 noon in the high fly team of Information, Communications and Technology Cabinet Secretary Joe Mucheru, local pro Eric Ooko and Victor Kidiwa.

Those drawn for Friday morning include current Golfer Of The Year leader Kenneth Bollo.

The largest field of 240 will however be playing in the second round tomorrow which will also be the climax of the week-long tournament which brings to an end the term of office of club chairman Itemere who is also the Principal Secretary in the Information ministry.

Meanwhile at Sigona, a field of 200 golfers was drawn for the annual Prime Bank Golf Day which is the seventh Prime Bank is sponsoring in the country.