Goty series race reaches halfway point at Limuru Country Club

Bonface Koskei during Kenya Amateur Championship at Muthaiga Golf Club on June 20, 2014. PHOTO | CHRIS OMOLLO

What you need to know:

  • Besides the trophies and prizes that will be contested for, a total of 24 points will be at stake in the Goty series, Kenya’s amateur Order of Merit
  • Boniface Koskei is among a galaxy of stars drawn for the 54-hole event which also counts towards the World Amateur Rankings

The chase for points in the 2014 Golfer of the Year (Goty) series will resume this weekend with the Limuru Open at Limuru Country Club.

Coming 11 days after the Kenya Amateur Championship at Muthaiga Golf Club, the national series will reach the halfway mark during the two-day tournament, after which there will be nine more events to be played.

Besides the trophies and prizes that will be contested for, a total of 24 points will be at stake in the Goty series, Kenya’s amateur Order of Merit.

Although open to any amateur golfer with a single figure handicap, this weekend’s event, unlike the Match Play Championship, will only involve Kenyan golfers.

During the Match Play Championship, little known Boniface Koskei produced the biggest upset so far in the series by beating Njoro’s Alfred Nandwa 3-2 in the final match to clinch the title.

Koskei also became the first amateur golfer to qualify for the 2015 Kenya Open. On his way to the final, Koskei had eliminated Uganda’s top amateur Willy Kitata at the 20th hole in the semi-finals.

Koskei is among a galaxy of stars drawn for the 54-hole event which also counts towards the World Amateur Rankings. Because of his Matchplay victory, Koskei will be the man to watch, though he will face stiff challenge from the “Limuru Warriors”.

CHALLENGING FOR TITLE

Among the other players expected to challenge for the title are Limuru’s Francis Kimani, John Karichu, Paul Muchangi and Simon Karari.

Also in contention are Nandwa, Nelson Simwa, Robinson Owiti of Vet Lab, Kiambu’s Steve Karanja and the Great Rift Valley’s Justus Madoya.

This weekend’s event is a strokeplay competition and not matchplay. A big number of Kenyan amateurs are yet to produce under or impressive scores in the Goty series, hence post poor results in international strokeplay championships.

In Machakos, a field of 50 ladies and an almost equal number of men are drawn for the Pasha Enterprises and Crown Beverages Limited-sponsored Ladies Open.

Meanwhile, Windsor will on Friday host the American Chamber of Commerce event while a who-is-who field in the corporate world has been drawn for the annual Parapet Corporate Challenge at Karen Country Club also on Friday.