Charania stretches Windsor Safari Tour lead to third round
Rizwan Charania follows his chip from the ninth hole fairway to the green during the Windsor leg of the Safari Tour Golf tournament at Windsor Golf and Country Club on February 18, 2019. PHOTO | CHRIS OMOLLO |
What you need to know:
- On the back nine, Charania dropped shots on the 11th and at the par three-17th with one birdie in between for the day’s 73
- At the back nine, Indiza dropped shots at the 10th but quickly cancelled it out with a birdie on the 11th and 15th which were enough for a 35 at the back nine, to move closer to top spot
- But the day’s best round, a 69 was posted by Golf Park’s Tony Omuli who closed the day just four shots off the leader on a total of 218, tying for third place with series leader Greg Snow
It is do or die for Windsor Golf Hotel and Country Club’s Rizwan Charania, as he leads the surviving 22 players to Wednesday's fourth and final round of the Safari Tour golf series at the par 72 Windsor course.
During Tuesday’s third round, Charania shot one over par 73 to remain top of the leaderboard with a three rounds total of two under par 214.
He took off well, picking up a birdie on the first hole, dropped it at the short hole fourth. He quickly recovered that at the par five-fifth and looked stable for an under par first nine score until he bogeyed the seventh, to level the nine.
On the back nine, Charania dropped shots on the 11th and at the par three-17th with one birdie in between for the day’s 73.
"I still have a long way to go but I am happy with my overall performance. I have improved on my putting which has been my greatest shortcoming and I feel that I can carry this momentum into the Kenya Open," offered Charania.
Charania also said the event has been an eye opener ahead of the Kenya Open. “It's been good since I now know which areas to focus on as we near the tournament,’’ added Charania whose lead was however reduced to only two shots by long hitting Dismas Indiza who shot two under par 70 for a total 216.
“I have really enjoyed it; it has given us professionals a wakeup call to step up our game, and has also given us great experience which will be used at the Kenya Open,” said Charania.
Meanwhile, Indiza holed in two consecutive birdies on second and the third before dropping shots on the sixth and seventh. He however finished with a birdie at the ninth.
At the back nine, Indiza dropped shots at the 10th but quickly cancelled it out with a birdie on the 11th and 15th which were enough for a 35 at the back nine, to move closer to top spot.
But the day’s best round, a 69 was posted by Golf Park’s Tony Omuli who closed the day just four shots off the leader on a total of 218, tying for third place with series leader Greg Snow.
Omuli birdied three holes in the front nine with only a lone bogey at the eighth. On the back nine, he dropped a single shot at the par-four-14th but holed in birdies on the 17th and 18th holes. Snow, on the other hand, shot level par 72 to also close the day third on 218.
Meanwhile a bunch of players tied for the 10th place, including the two surviving amateurs Mathew Wahome and Edwin Mudanyi.
The 22 players will be off from 8am for the final round which will eventually decide the eight players to represent the country in the Magical Kenya Open which for the first time will be played as part of the European Tour popularly known as “Race to Dubai’’
The Leaderboard
214 Rizwan Charania 71, 70, 73
216 Dismas Indiza 74, 72, 70
218 Tony Omuli77, 72, 69
218 Greg Snow 75, 71, 72
223 Mathew Omondi 78, 74, 71
223David Opati 75, 75, 73
223Alfred Nandwa74, 74, 75
227 Sujan Shah 73, 82, 72.
