Peter Wambugu takes amateur crown at Karen course

Handicap five Peter Wambugu is the new Karen Country Club amateur golf champion.

Over the weekend, Wambugu beat defending champion Alex McGuiness by the narrow margin of one shot to win the Longhorn Publishers sponsored championship.

He posted 77 and 79 for 156 while McGuiness carded 78 and 79 gross.

In third place was Peter Waweru on 159 while clinching the overall nett title with a combination of 73 nett in each round fore 146 was Ken Kiplagat who beat Mike Agengo by a shot and in third place was John Nguri on 148.

Macharia Gakuo won the first round on 78 and the second round winner was Vernon Matthews on 80. The two nett winners were David Russell on 73 and Ngata Kimondo with nett 74. At Nyali, Ben Mureithi fired 19 and 21 for 40 to claim the overall prize in the Heritage Insurance Golf tournament.

Florence Karimi led the ladies with 33 points and the nine-year-old Andrew Wahome, following the footsteps of his brothers Jeremy and Mathew, combined 17 and 21 for 38 to claim the junior title, with Munyao Kamba from Machakos emerging the best guest on 35 points. Joseph Kyungu carded 18 and 16 for the staff prize.

At Muthaiga, handicap one Neer Chandaria returned 22 and 19 for 41 to walk away with the overall prize in the Magnum Liqueur Golf tournament where Chege Gitura with a brilliant 25 points from the front nine and 15 at the back nine saw him the take the men’s title with 40 points.

Sonnar Shah on 37 was second and Stella Macharia claimed the ladies prize with 33 points, one better than Florence Maina.

Abishek Pandit won the junior title on 32 points. Elsewhere, Kenya’s senior professional golfers converge on Limuru Country Club this morning for the first ever professional event featuring the senior pro golfers only.

They will be battling it out for a share of prize money of Sh100,000 courtesy of the sponsor “Sir’’ Patrick Nduati, an amateur golfer whose aim is to encourage to the senior pros to remain active.

Though only 10 of them had confirmed, the Senior Professional Golfers Of Kenya captain James Ngigi of Limuru said any senior pro who would like to play, will be most welcome at Limuru.

ODERA THE BEST PLAYER

“This is the first event we are playing on our own and I thank Nduati for having agreed to support us. We are appealing to others to come out and support the seniors who are not able to compete with the young professionals,’’ said Ngigi. He said the event is open to professionals aged 55 years and over who Ngigi said are currently over 10 of them in the country.

“Today we are playing only one round but we will consider playing more rounds depending on the sponsorship,’’ added Ngigi, who being at home, is likely to play well with his main challengers by former international Walker Elisha Kasuku, Kiambu’s George Ndegwa and Muthaiga based Jimmy Kingori. 

In Kitale, Kericho’s William Odera posted a total of four over par 223 to claim the 54-hole Trans Nzoia Open Golf Championship at the par 73 Kitale course. Odera shot two over par 75 in the first round and one over par 74 in each of the last two rounds, to win the Golfer Of The Year event by five shots from Vet Lab’s Robinson Owiti who carded 75, 77, 76 for a total of 228.

WEEKEND ROUND-UP

Kenya Railway; Kambasome Golf Day;Overall Winner George K. Maina- 41pts, Silas Ethangatta- 37 cb Stanly Karanja- 37. Lady Winner- Purity Muthoni- 29,  Shelsmith Muraguri- 27, Faith Githaiga- 27. Nines Simeon Onyango- 19, Joseph Murungi- 20, Senior’s Winner -  Ngugi Njuguna- 27, Sponsor Winner- Dr. B. Mutysia – 29. Guest Winner- Patrick Obath- 35.

Thika; June Monthly Mug (Div A) Winner; David  Karuma 66, 9 H S Rayat 70, (Div B) Maj D Nganga-69, Maina Ruo 70, (Div C)  H Karanja 67,  J M Kinga 70, Lady Winner; Winnie Mugo 74, Margaret Maina 76. Ladies Medal No.5; Silver Category Mercy Meru  73,  Mary Wainaina 77, Gross; Rose Kigwe 92, Bronze  Winner; A W Karimi 73,  Nancy Nganga 76, Gross;  M Njuguna 102, Men  E N Ndungu 66, S Kinyanjui 70,  Jeff Karue 71nett.