Wahome takes early lead at Coast Open

Nyali Golf and Country Club’s Mathew Wahome birdied a total of five holes to take a club house lead half way through the opening round of this year’s Coast Open golf championship at the tough playing Mombasa Golf Club course on Saturday.

The handicap three Wahome, a member of both junior and senior national teams, birdied two of the first three holes, dropped a shot at the par four-fifth and the short hole (seventh), picked up one more birdie at the eighth to level the nine.

He started the back nine with two back-to-back birdies, dropped a shot at the par three-12th but quickly recovered with a birdie at the 13th and parred the rest for two under 34 and the leading score of 69. This gave him a one-shot lead from Golfer of The Year champion Limuru’s John Karichu.

“Except the fifth and seventh on the first nine and at the short hole at the back nine(12th), everything else was fine. The course particularly the greens are very nice this time round,’’ said Wahome who will be playing with Karichu in Sunday’s second round.

The handicap plus two Karichu unlike Wahome, made a slow start, dropping three shots at the outward nine though he made five birdies at the back nine three of them in a row from the 11th to 13th.

He bogeyed the par five-14th, but recovered by making two birdies at the 15th and 17th for a low 32 and the day’s 70. “I am happy with today’s first round, I hope I will be able to maintain that form until the end,’’ said Karichu.

His club-mate Francis Kimani was just a shot behind in third place while another Nyali junior Adel Balala and Vet Lab’s Nelson Simwa were tied on one over par 72.

It was not however a good start for defending champion Daniel Nduva who double-bogeyed the 1oth, picked up a nine at the par four- 13th to finish on 11 over par 82.

He drove out of bound twice at the 13th and that was good enough for him to surrender his title even before the final day. Most of the leading players in the 95th edition of Barry Cup played in the morning.