Players to contest for Goty points at Manchester Salver

The hunt for points towards the 2011 Kenya Golf Union Keringet Golfer of the Year (Goty) award resumes on Saturday with the Manchester Salver at the nine-hole Eldoret Golf Club.

The 36-hole tournament was to take place two weeks ago but was postponed because of the East Africa Challenge Cup in Arusha, where Kenya beat hosts Tanzania by a point and a half to re-capture the cup.

This year, the Manchester Salver, the fourth Goty tournament, is sponsored by Keringet Water.

The event follows the Karen Challenge, Tea Fields Trophy and Diani Beach Masters and has attracted a field of 51 golfers, including six national team players.

The field will increase when Eldoret members join in for the subsidiary round on Sunday afternoon.

Kimani leads national team players

Leading the national team members is captain Francis Kimani who indicated at Arusha Gymkhana last weekend that this could be his last year to play for Kenya as he seeks to leave the stage for younger players.

Focus at Eldoret this weekend will be on Kenya Amateur Strokeplay champion, David Opati, who has been in fine form in the past two months.

Although he trails Goty leader and club-mate Joseph Karanja by 20 points, Golf Park’s Opati has claimed four titles since August.

He won the Coast Open in August and lifted the Diani Beach Masters, the Kenya Amateur Strokeplay Championship and the Tanzania Open Strokeplay Championship before the East Africa Challenge Cup at the Arusha Gymkhana.

Besides Kimani and Joseph Karanja, Opati will face Vet Lab’s Robinson Owiti and Mathew Omondi, Limuru’s James Karanja, the Great Rift Resort’s Justus Madoya, all national team players, as well as Nelson Simwa, Dennis Saikwa, Tony Omulli and home players Andrew Chelogoi and Musa Kisia.

Missing in action is junior international Abraham Abdullai, a student at Eburru Secondary School, and Muthaiga’s Frank Matilo.