McKenzie penalty gifts Galaxy S5 Kenya Open polo title

Visiting South African Buster Mckenzie (centre) and Jonathan Stichbury (right) go for the ball ahead of Kigen Moi of Peroni team in the Samsung Galaxy Kenya Open polo at Nairobi Polo Club on 12th September 2014 PHOTO | MARTIN MUKANGU | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Samsung Galaxy Tab won the subsidiary category after beating both Millar and Samsung Galaxy Gear teams in the three-day tournament.
  • Wilson had put Samurai on a 2.5-2 lead at the end the second chukka, but S5 performed well as a team in the subsequent chukkas to score three more goals through McKenzie and Du Toit, as Samurai managed one more goal.
  • “I’m happy to be back in Kenya, the horses have been in great shape and I have enjoyed every bit of the game. I can’t wait for next weekend’s tournament,” said Mckenzie.

South African sensation Buster McKenzie Sunday converted a 30-yard penalty to steer the Samsung Galaxy S5 to a 5-3.5 victory over Samurai in the Kenya Open Tournament Sunday at the Nairobi Polo Club.

The win condemned favourites Samurai to their first loss of the tournament. The victory saw handicap six Mckenzie lead his team of Mike du Toit (1), Devin Shretta (0.5) and Jonathan Stitchbury (0.5) on a lap of honour atop a white pony after the match before being handed the trophy for the superior 5-8 goal category.

Runners-up Samurai received horse head tokens, while Kigen Moi received the wooden spoon on behalf of his Peroni team who were bottom with no point.

McKenzie and Craig Wilson, the international players in the tournament, voted 19-year-old Hiromi Nzomo the Most Valuable Player, while McKenzie’s speedy seven-year-old horse, Kerry Town, was the Best Playing Pony.

Samsung Galaxy Tab won the subsidiary category after beating both Millar and Samsung Galaxy Gear teams in the three-day tournament.

Mike du Toit playing for the Samsung Galaxy S5 team reaches for the ball as Jonathan Stichbury of Samurai team closes in during the Samsung Galaxy Kenya Open polo tournament at the Nairobi Polo club on 14th September 2014 . PHOTO | MARTIN MUKANGU | NATION MEDIA GROUP

GREAT TOURNAMENT

“I’m happy to be back in Kenya, the horses have been in great shape and I have enjoyed every bit of the game. I can’t wait for next weekend’s tournament,” said Mckenzie.

New Zealander Craig Wilson (6) scored all the three goals for Samurai in the exciting final match against S5, while Nairobi Polo Club vice chairman Mike du Toit added two to McKenzie’s three to complete S5’s winning score.

Wilson had put Samurai on a 2.5-2 lead at the end the second chukka, but S5 performed well as a team in the subsequent chukkas to score three more goals through McKenzie and Du Toit, as Samurai managed one more goal.

In the other senior category match, SG Note’s Kimoi Moi had pounced on his brother Kigen’s defensive mistake to score a wonderful tail shot which condemned Peroni to their third loss of the tournament.

Kigen’s Peroni quartet captained by George McCorkell (2) had the lowest total handicap (5.5) in the superior 5-8 goal category.