Ex-Thika captain beats big field to win NIC crown

Former Thika Sports Club captain Ndiga Kithae beat a field of over 200 players to walk away with the NIC Bank Golf title at the par 72 Thika Sports Club course at the weekend.

A fairly long hitter, Kithae set off for the day with two early birdies at the first and second holes, dropped two shots at the fifth and ninth for an impressive level par 24 points in the first nine.

“The first nine was what real propelled to eventually win the event. I played well  despite the two double bogeys at the second nine where however 20 points was still good enough,” said Kithae, who birdied the par five-10th though dropped two shots over the par three-11th, and made two more bogeys at the 12th and 14th.

He however parred 15th, 16th and 17th though missed the green on two at the 18th to drop two shots. His total of 44 points was still three points better than men winner J.M. Karanja who combined 20 and 21, to beat S.G. Maitho (22, 19) and club captain Watson Burugu also with 22 and 19  on countback.

TOOK GOODIES

Leading the ladies was S M Patel with 37 points, beating Eunice Mwangi by a point while Judy Waihenya was third on 34. In the guest category, Kumud Shah combined 23 and 19 for 42, points to win well ahead of  Nam Sok  with 36 points. Livingstone Murage emerged the best staff with 34 points as Simon Ngugi on 33 was the best junior.

The first and second nine went to James M Ndungu on 23 points, and David N Wainaina  won the second with 22 points. At Muthaiga Golf Club,  former national team captain Kumar Dhall now playing off handicap three, fired 20 points in the first nine and 18 at the back nine for 38 to take the overall prize in the Mambo Interior Golf Day.

Veteran golfer Jimnah Mbaru won the men’s first prize with 37 points, one better than Victor Maina on 36 points, and Grace Mucheru was the best lady with  33 points after beating Rose Koome on countback. Jay Devji posted 18 points in each nine for the junior title.

At Nyanza Golf Club, Kisii Sports Club’s Damaris Kemunto carded 93 gross playing off handicap 25 to win the Monthly Mug with nett 68, beating a seasonal golfer John Orioro on countback.

The handicap nine Julius Omollo also on nett 68 finished third. Wycliffe Nyambogo on 32.5 nett took the first nine and winning the second nine was Nyanza Golf Club’s leading amateur Peter Owino who carded nett 34.5 nett.

Elsewhere, South Korea’s Byeong-hun An has urged Asian players to try their luck on the European Tour after his breakthrough win at Wentworth on Sunday. An marched to a six-shot win in the Tour’s flagship event, The European PGA Championship at Wentworth and earned himself a three-year exemption in the process.

The 23-year-old, who won the US Amateur aged 17 in 2009, is in his first year on the full circuit after spending three seasons on the second-tier Challenge Tour.