Gachaga girls out as Junior Strokeplay event looms

Kenya’s top junior golfers will converge on the par 71 Muthaiga Golf Club course on Tuesday for the first and second rounds of this year’s Boys and Girls’ Junior Strokeplay Championship.

The annual event has attracted only 33 players. 

They will be battling it out for the Kenya Junior Strokeplay Championship trophy plus a chance to represent Kenya in the 2018 British Junior Open Championship at Eden Course, St Andrews, Scotland from July 16 to 18.

Those listed to play in the 72-hole event which also counts towards the World Amateur Ranking, include the two leading juniors Mutahi Kibugu of Muthaiga and Nyali’s Agil Is-Haq, who represented Kenya at the Victoria Cup in Entebbe Uganda early this month.

The two, who also featured in last weekend’s Coast Open, will be facing a stiff challenge from Windsor’s Akshay Chandaria and home player Zubair Khan.

However, missing in action particularly on the girls’ list are Kenya Ladies champion Kellie Gachaga, who left last week along with her young sister Jaimme Gachaga for the Pinehurst Kids golf championship in the United States Of America.

In their absence, the battle for the girls’ title will be fought by the Rose Naliaka Academy girls Ashley Awour and Loise Akinyi who usual play their golf at the Golf Park.

The first round is set for 8am on Tuesday followed by the second round in the afternoon while the third and fourth rounds will take place on Wednesday and Thursday respectively.

Meanwhile, Kenya’s only deaf golfer Isaac Makokha returned home after representing the country in the Deaf Olympics last week in Turkey.

The handicap three Makhoha featured in two rounds of strokeplay events.