Home player recovers to win Machakos title

What you need to know:

  • Home player Julius Kioko overcame an awful first nine to post an impressive 40 points and win the eighth annual Machakos Academy golf tournament at the par 72 Machakos Golf Club course at the weekend.
  • Starting on par, Kioko picked up a bogey at the short hole second, collected a triple bogey seven at the third and followed it by scratching the fourth.
  • And as if that was not enough, the handicap 16 then dropped two back-to-back shots at the fifth and sixth, added a double at the seven but picked two pars at the last two holes

Home player Julius Kioko overcame an awful first nine to post an impressive 40 points and win the eighth annual Machakos Academy golf tournament at the par 72 Machakos Golf Club course at the weekend.

Starting on par, Kioko picked up a bogey at the short hole second, collected a triple bogey seven at the third and followed it by scratching the fourth.

And as if that was not enough, the handicap 16 then dropped two back-to-back shots at the fifth and sixth, added a double at the seven but picked two pars at the last two holes.

He, however, turned the tide at the back nine with two birdies at the 12th and 14th with only a double at the 13th and a six at the 18th for the 40 points. He combined the overall prize with the nearest to pin prize as one of the leading golfers at Machakos, James Ndunda, playing off five, birdied the 10th and 14th with three bogeys and a double at the eighth for 38 points to claim the runner up prize.

LONGEST DRIVE

The hard-hitting Dee Kivuva posted 37 points for the third place, beating David Mwangangi on countback, as Jackson Nzioki and Charles Nzuki won the nines on 21 and 19 points.

In the guest section, Golf Park’s J. Mbui won with 38 points ahead of Gerald Mutiso on 36 while Nancy Kariuki took the ladies’ title on 30 points.

Francis Njeru and Jennifer Ngure won the longest drive.

The tournament was sponsored by Pasha Enterprises and Machakos Academy, one of the top schools in Machakos County which includes a girls’ high school, mixed primary school and kindergarten.

At Kiambu Golf Club, Paul Murumba carded an impressive 40 points to claim the overall title during the fifth leg of the DSTV Golf Explorer Series sponsored by MultiChoice Kenya at the nine-hole Kiambu Golf Club.

The handicap 11 Murumba bogeyed the third, eight and ninth to pick up 19 points at the front nine while at the back nine, recovered from a scratch at the 10th to birdie the 11th and 16th with bogeys at the 14th and 18th for 21 points. Veteran golfer David Ndirangu took the men’s title with 39 points playing off handicap nine.

His card included a birdie at the second, with bogeys at the first, fourth, sixth and eighth and at the 13th and 14th.

LADIES' TITLE

Michael Wanjohi was second in the men’s section with 38 points, one better than Mwangi Ngibuini who beat both John Muchigi and Eliud Kamau on countback.

One of the country’s leading lady golfers, Joyce Wanjiru, carded 37 points to take the ladies’ title as Michael Ngene, on four over par 76, won the gross.

David Mabango emerged as the best guest with 37 points and the nines went to Rogers Mbithi (21) and Patrick Muiruri who posted 22 points.