Foursome action starts year

Leading amateur golfers in Nairobi County and its neighbouring Kiambu County are all set to battle it out in this year’s Nairobi District Foursomes tournament at the par 71 Muthaiga Golf Club course from Friday.

A matchplay foursomes event, the Nairobi District Foursomes officially kicks off the 2017 national golfing season.

The three-day event, which brings together a total of 19 teams from 11 clubs, also offers a perfect opportunity for the leading amateurs to test and sharpen up their skills for this year’s Kenya Amateur Golf series that tees off with the Sigona Bowl next weekend.

As usual, clubs with 18 hole courses namely Muthaiga, Limuru, Vet Lab, Windsor, Sigona, Thika, Karen and Royal Nairobi will be fielding A and B teams while the nine-hole clubs of Railway, Golf Park and Kiambu will be represented by a team each.

During last year’s tournament, the home pair of John Gitonga and Jeff Kubwa beat Limuru’s B team of veteran Francis Kimani and John Kariuki at the 19th hole to clinch the title.

It was a successful year for the hosts as its A team of Neer Chandaria and Anthony Irungu finished third after beating Sigona’s B side of Sujan Shah and Ravi Shah.

This year, Neer Chandaria is teaming up with his cousin Bhavnish Chandaria while Gitonga remains with his partner Jeff Kubwa, a combination which is favoured to retain the title.

Other pairs expected to play well include Vet Lab’s Edwin Mudanyi and Robinson Owiti, Royal’s Kenneth Bollo and Kevin Juma, Limuru’s John Karichu and Paul Muchangi and of course Francis Kimani and John Kariuki of Limuru.

Friday's first round starts at 12pm and will be between Golf Park and Thika B while Karen A take on Windsor and Railway meets Vet Lab B of Kenya’s ambassador in Algeria Richard Moi Lemoshira and partner Lee Njoroge.