It’s do-or-die for golfers in race for Kenya Open slots

It is do-or-die for some of Kenya’s professional golfers today as they converge on the par-71 Muthaiga Golf Club for the third and final leg  in the ‘Race to 2017 Kenya’ pro-golf series.

The first and second legs of the competition were held at Sigona and Vet Lab Sports Club. The top 18 players with cumulative points from the three events will qualify to play in this year’s Barclays Kenya Open which will take place at Muthaiga Golf Club from March 23 to 26.

A field of 36 pros were drawn for today’s first round of the 54-hole event from 7.30am. Those drawn include Mumias-based Dismas Indiza who tied with home pro Mathew Omondi during the second leg at Vet Lab. But Indiza, Brian Njoroge and Simon Ngige have already qualified for the Open by virtue of having made the cut in last year’s Open at Karen.

The three plus South Africa-based Stefan Andersen are all set for the Open and they are using the ‘Race to the Open’ series and other events as part of the Open build up. Currently leading in the ‘Race to 2017 Kenya Open’ is Windsor Golf Hotel and Country’s Riz Charania who is more or less  assured of a place in the Barclays Kenya Open after collecting 40 points and 39 at Vet Lab for a total of 79.

Charania is not drawn at Muthaiga but Vet Lab’s Mathew Omondi who is four and half points behind Charania, will be at action at Muthaiga. Mathew Omondi picked up 34.5 points at Sigona and 40 at his home course.

Eldoret-based Boniface Simwa in currently in third place and also with a good chance of making it to Muthaiga in March for the Barclays Kenya Open.

He has a total of 72 points made up of 37 points in the first leg and 35 at Vet Lab. Greg Snow who returned into action late last year after an injury is tied in fourth place with Justus Madoya from Naivasha’s Great Rift Valley Resort on 69.5 points, just a half a point better than Nyali Golf and Country Club’s Njuguna Ngugi.

Others hunting for a starting place in the Open are David Wakhu, David Odhiambo, John Wangai, Nelson Simwa, Nicholas Rokoine, Tony Omulli, Kopan Timbe, Anil Shah, Hesbon Kutwa, Joseph Karanja and Nelson Mudanyi who is at the 18th place. All of them are drawn at Muthaiga.

The course at Muthaiga which also hosting the Muthaiga Open this weekend, is slowly taking shape in redness for the open with the greens improving by the day.

"The greens are still slow as they have been top-dressed to prepare them for the Open. It is difficult to predict what the scores are likely to be, but we will do our best," said Indiza on Tuesday.