Muthaiga next stop for top amateurs
What you need to know:
- Former Goty champion John Karichu, who also missed the Mt Kenya Championship, is reported to have turned professional so he will probably be appearing at Windsor from this Sunday.
- Therefore, leading the field at Muthaiga will be the Great Rift Valley Golf Resort’s Simon Njogu, who finished second in Nyeri two weeks ago, beaten by Njoroge by two shots.
- Hosts Muthaiga is fielding all its leading players who include youngsters Mutahi Kibugu, and Zubair Khan as well as the senior players of the likes of Bhavnish Chandaria, John Gitonga, and Evans Vitisia.
The 2019 Kenya Amateur Golf Championship (KAGC) series enters its second leg with the 54-hole Muthaiga Open golf tournament this weekend at the par 71 Muthaiga Golf Club course.
This year, the tournament, one of the 13 World Amateur Ranking events in the country that is open to amateurs playing off handicap nine and below, has attracted a field of 80 golfers.
However, the golfers do not include the 2018 KAGC series champion Samuel Njoroge of Kenya Railway Golf Club.
Two weeks ago, Njoroge fired an impressive four under par 140 to claim the Mt Kenya Championship title at Nyeri Golf Club.
Thereafter, the plus two handicapper Njoroge left the country for Doha Qatar to try his luck in the Qatar Open en route to the Commercial Bank of Qatar Masters.
Also missing in action this weekend, will be Vet Lab Sports Club’s Edwin Mudanyi and Mike Kisia, who have opted to play in the sixth leg of the Safari Tour along with the professionals, as they prepare for the Magical Kenya Open at Karen Country Club from March 14 to 17.
Former Goty champion John Karichu, who also missed the Mt Kenya Championship, is reported to have turned professional so he will probably be appearing at Windsor from this Sunday.
Therefore, leading the field at Muthaiga will be the Great Rift Valley Golf Resort’s Simon Njogu, who finished second in Nyeri two weeks ago, beaten by Njoroge by two shots.
Hosts Muthaiga is fielding all its leading players who include youngsters Mutahi Kibugu, and Zubair Khan as well as the senior players of the likes of Bhavnish Chandaria, John Gitonga, and Evans Vitisia.
Also in the starting list will be Robinson Owiti and Isaiah Otuke of Vet Lab, Limuru’s Paul Muchangi and veteran Francis Kimani as well as Kiambu’s Michael Karanga and Mike Ngene.
Also drawn is a visiting scratch golfer Monday Eze from Nigeria, who is here to try and battle it out with Kenya’s elite golfers.
The first round is set for 7am Saturday, to be followed by the second round in the afternoon. The third and final round, whose draw will be seeded, is set for Sunday morning.
The course at Muthaiga is still in great condition though the greens are likely to be very fast particularly during the final round.
Meanwhile, a star field of 100 ladies will be at Sigona Golf Club this weekend for the ladies Open, the second open event in the ladies calendar this weekend.
This year the event is being sponsored by Crown Paints which has been supporting a number of events lately, particularly junior events.
Leading the challenge here, will be Kiambu’s Joyce Wanjiru, who has been in great form since the season started, having won the recent KLGU chairman’s prize at Muthaiga among other events.
To take Wanjiru on for the Silver division title will be a host of other stars including Naomi Wafula, Vet Lab’s Mercy Nyanchama and Agnes Nyakio, Royal’s Serah Khanyereri, Naomi Wakesho, Wanjiru Karume and Rachel Chebukati of Royal, who has made a comeback after staying out of action for some times due to studies.
The ladies will be teeing off from 7am, with the men’s subsidiary event set for the afternoon from 12.02.
