Nduva seals Kenya Open slot

Daniel Nduva displays his trophy after winning the Kenya Amateur Matchplay Championship at Thika Greens Resort on June 17, 2018. PHOTO | CHRIS OMOLLO |

What you need to know:

  • He had earlier beaten Royal Nairobi’s Dennis Saikwa 3-2 in the third round.
  • In the third and fourth play off, Kisia beat Kibugu 3-2 to finish third overall in the championship which had attracted a field of 43 players.

South Africa-based Daniel Nduva, a member of Nyali Golf and Country Club, on Sunday became the first amateur golfer to qualify for next year’s Kenya Open.

The long-hitting Nduva, who is also the current Open amateur stroke play champion, beat Limuru’s Paul Muchangi 5-3 in the final match of this year’s Kenya Amateur Matchplay championship at the Thika Greens Resort, to win Kenya’s major amateur golf title.

Usually, the winner of the match play and the strokeplay events automatically qualifies for the Kenya Open.

Nduva qualified for the final after beating Vet Lab’s Mike Kisia 1-up, having also beaten last year’s losing finalist Edwin Mudanyi also from Vet Lab 3-1 in the quarter finals. It was actually a battle between him and the Vet Lab players, as Nduva beat Robinson Owiti 1-up in the third round.

During the 36-hole final match, Nduva was four-up against Muchangi after 28 holes. He eventually overpowered the Limuru player at the 15th hole to win the championship.

“I made five bogeys during the first 18 holes in the morning and that was my un doing as i could not recover in the afternoon round. My game has been good though this week," said Muchangi, who said he was now preparing for the Limuru Open at his home course.

He beat youngster Mutahi Kibugu of Muthaiga 2-1 in the semis, having earlier eliminated his club-mate and current leader in the Kenya Amateur Golf Championship(KAGC) golf series, John Karichu at the 19th hole in the quarter finals.

He had earlier beaten Royal Nairobi’s Dennis Saikwa 3-2 in the third round.

In the third and fourth play off, Kisia beat Kibugu 3-2 to finish third overall in the championship which had attracted a field of 43 players.