Kenya’s top amateurs invade Tanzania Open

Mike Kisia follows the flight of his tee shot from the 18th hole tee during the Kenya Amateur Strokeplay Championship on August 5, 2017 at Vet Lab Sports Club. PHOTO | CHRIS OMOLLO |

What you need to know:

  • Owiti returns to Arusha to defend his title but has his work cut out.
  • Mudanyi, Kisia and Owiti head to Arusha to join Kenyan pros for 72-hole tourney that tees off on Thursday.

Three of Kenya’s leading amateur golfers left on Wednesday for Arusha ready for this year’s Tanzania Open golf championship at the Kiligolf Resort in Usa River.

The resort is situated near Kilimanjaro International Airport between Arusha and Moshi.

The three players, Edwin Mudanyi, Mike Kisia and Robinson Owiti, all from Vet Lab Sports Club will be joining a strong team of 18 Kenyan professionals most of whom also left yesterday ready for the 72-hole championship.

Mudanyi warmed up for the Arusha championship in apt fashion.

The national team player last weekend fired rounds of 71 and 73 for a total of 144 gross to win the Manchester Salver at Eldoret Golf Club. This is the club where Mudanyi and his brothers Boniface Simwa, Nelson Simwa and Nelson Mudanyi begun their golfing careers.

In September, Edwin, Owiti, Railway’s Samuel Njoroge and Limuru’s Paul Muchangi were invited to participate in the Uganda Open.

Speaking before leaving for Tanzania, Mudanyi - who represented Kenya in the Africa Region Five in Kitwe Zambia in April, Victoria Cup in Uganda, the East Africa Challenge Cup in Tanzania and the recent All Africa Golf Team Championship in Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe - said his game was fine at the moment.

“I am hitting the ball fairly well at the moment. My game is solid off the tee as well as on the greens and I hope to play well in the Tanzania Open," he said.

Mudanyi and Kisia are featuring for the first time in the event while Owiti is the amateur defending champion.

During last year’s championship, Owiti fired rounds of 74, 73, 72 and 74 for a four rounds total of 293 to clinch the amateur title.

The three amateurs left along with Vet Lab pros Nelson Simwa and Mathew Omondi who will be battling it out along with other Kenyan pros and players from the region for a share of the Sh800,000 being offered as prize money.

The professionals will however, have to make the second round cut tomorrow to have a chance of fighting for the cash prizes.