Mathew Wahome leads team of four juniors for Orange Trophy

Mathew Wahome follows the flight of his shot to the 16th hole during the Sigona Bowl Tournament at on January 19, 2014. PHOTO | MARTIN MUKANGU |

What you need to know:

  • They will be in a field of 200 golfers which will be chasing the crystal Orange Trophy.
  • The Kenya Golf Trophy, which marks its third year, returns to Muthaiga after visiting Royal Nairobi last year.

The Junior Golf Foundation (JGF) has named a team of four juniors who will battle for top honours in this year’s Orange Kenya Golf Trophy at Muthaiga Club this Friday.

Leading the four juniors, all of whom have represented Kenya in international events will be Nyali’s Mathew Wahome, currently playing off handicap two and whose last international assignment was the Africa Golf Confederation’s President’s Cup in Kitwe Zambia.

The others are Tahir Mohammed, Agil-Is-Haq also from Nyali and Sigona’s Kush Mediratta.

They will be in a field of 200 golfers which will be chasing the crystal Orange Trophy plus two return tickets to any destination in the world courtesy of the tournament’s official airline Etihad Airways.

The airline has also offered two more return tickets for the second placed player in the event which is Kenya’s biggest corporate golf tournament.

EVENT IN THIRD YEAR

The Kenya Golf Trophy, which marks its third year, returns to Muthaiga after visiting Royal Nairobi last year where Kiambu’s Humphrey Maina clinched the trophy.

Event organiser Tob Cohen from Tobs Golf Safaris says from the field of 200 players, 96 have been drawn to play from 7.30am while the remaining 104 will tackle the par-71 course in the afternoon.

The format will be Stableford off full handicap which tends to favour mostly those in the middle and high handicap bracket.

That means for the juniors to claim the trophy, they may have two bring under par scores which they are capable of.

Wahome and Agil Is-Haq have been enjoying top form this year and stand a good chance of featuring in the prize list.

Part of the proceeds from the tournament will go towards supporting the Junior Golf Foundation.

Cohen said the hole-in-one shoot-out which usual raises funds for the JGF will take place at 5pm at the par three-13th.

Some exciting prizes, including Air Kenya Flights to the Masai Mara, two nights full board accommodation for two at the Fig Tree Lodge and two Hot Air Balloon Safaris and game drives worth Sh186,900 (US $ 2100) will be at stake in the shoot-out.

Besides defending champion Maina, other players who will take on the hot-charging juniors in the event which has attracted 30 sponsors offering 30 Prizes worth Sh3 million include Muthaiga captain Bhavnish Chandaria, his deputy James Ondigo, former lands minister Amos Kimunya, Mwai Mbuthia, JGF chairman Ashwin Gidoomal and Abid Ganatra who claimed the Access Kenya title over the weekend.

“I am excited by the interest Kenyan golfers continue to show in this event. We may make it a two-day event come 2015,” said Cohen.