Goty battle heads to Thika
Limuru Golf Club's John Kariuki follows the progress of his tee shot from 9th tee during Tannahill Shield golf tournament on March 25, 2016 at Royal Nairobi Golf Club. Kariuki will be defending his title in the Kenya Amateur Strokeplay Golf Championship at Thika Sports Club on October 20, 2016. PHOTO | CHRIS OMOLLO |
What you need to know:
- Players eyeing slots in next year’s Kenya Open
- Defending champ Kariuki faces stiff challenge from prolific opponents on Thursday
The hunt for points in the 2016 Golfer Of The Year Award (Goty) and a slot for next year’s Kenya Open shifts to Thika Sports Club on Thursday.
The par 72 Thika Sports Club course, which is usually the home of the Winston Churchill Cup, will host the 72-hole Kenya Amateur Strokeplay Golf Championship.
A field of 61 leading amateurs from various parts of the country were drawn for this year’s championship that is sponsored by the Kenya Golf Union (KGU).
At stake, besides the Kenyatta Memorial Bowl donated by two past KGU chairmen the late Col Mike Harbage and Sigona’s Chris Kahara in 1978 in memory of Mzee Jomo Kenyatta, Kenya’s first President, will be points towards the Goty Award and the World Amateur Ranking.
In addition, the overall winner, who will be returning the lowest gross score in 72 holes, will earn automatic entry to the 2017 Kenya Open Golf Championship.
During last year’s championship held at the Thika Greens Resort, Limuru’s John Kariuki caused a major upset, beating Kenya’s best amateurs to claim the title and a place in the Open held at Karen in March this year.
He will be defending his title against among others national team players Robinson Owiti, Edwin Mudanyi, John Lejirma, Daniel Nduva, Alfred Nandwa, Simon Njogu and youngster Agil Is-Haq, who jet out to Ethiopia on Monday for the East African Challenge Cup.
Of those, Alfred Nandwa and Daniel Nduva have been in excellent form lately and are among the players to watch this week at Thika. Nandwa fired rounds of 71, 68, and 73 to beat Nduva by three shots during the national team trial at Thika Greens.
Thereafter, Nduva went on to claim the Diani Beach Masters title at Leisure Lodge where Nandwa finished second. But besides the national team players, there are other top amateurs such as Goty leader Kenneth Bollo from Royal, defending Goty champion John Karichu and a handicap five Rishi Bali from Bombay Presidency Golf Club in Mumbai India.
Thursday’s first round is set for 10am followed by the second and third rounds on Friday while the last 18 holes will be played on Saturday.
