Nyaga wins Vet Lab Nation Classic

After six years of waiting, Vet Lab Sports Club golfer Adam Nyaga eventually clinched his first major golf title at his home Vet Lab over the weekend.

But the day did not start well for the handicap 16 golfer who played a miserable 21 points at Sigona Lady Captain’s Prize tournament on Saturday morning.

“I had an awful round at Sigona and was not so sure I will play well here at Sigona. But it seems like I left the bad golf there,’’ said Nyaga after receiving his overall prizes which included a beautiful golf bag, a trophy and a Panari Group accommodation voucher for two nights from Nation Media Group chairman Dr. Wilfred Kiboro.

And he only needed seven pars and a birdie for an excellent 42 points which saw him beat men winner Mohan Shah by one point. He started the round with four bogeys in a row, made one par in between, then picked up bogeys over the sixth and seven, but ended the nine well with a birdie at the eighth and a par at the ninth.

At the back nine, Nyaga dropped shots on the 12^th, 14^th , a double at the down-hill par three-16^th, three putted the 18^th to wind up the day with a brilliant score.

“I was in fantastic four ball which was encouraging and I must thank them for the great company’’ said Nyaga.

Shah, a handicap 27 golfer on the other hand, had only a single par for his 41 points which earned him the men’s prize while Nicholas Imbugwa beat early leader Musikari Kombo on countback with 40 points, to claim the runners up prize. Judy Wanjiku was also in her best form over the weekend as she fired 71 points to claim the ladies first prize with Rachael Kimani on 38 points.

Former Kenya Golf Union (KGU) chairman Anthony Muhoro of Kenya Railway Golf club beat a big contingent of over 100 guests to emerge as the best guest with 39 points with Rameck Njiru finishing second on 38, just a point better than third placed E. Yuaya.

Leading the staff was the Nation’s Foreign News and Diplomatic Editor Henry Awuor who posted 31 points, to win by a point from NMG Broadcasting Division managing director Alex Kobia. Junior golfer Leo Zurovac carded six over par in the first nine where he bogeyed the second, double-bogeyed the fourth and made a triple bogey seven at the ninth.

He however, made nine pars at the back nine for level par and the day’s 39 points to clinch the junior title. John Odhiambo fired five over par 77 to earn the gross prize with Godwin Wangong’u  and Nobert Opiyo winning the nines on 23 points. The going was like many golfers, a tough one for Kangethe Kihara who won the Best Effort prize on 13 points.

The Vet Lab event which was the grand finale in the 2018 series, currently the longest running golf series in the country having started in 1985, was sponsored by the Nation Media Group in partnership with Omni Space 3D, AAR Healthcare and Panari Group of Hotels.

Omni Space provided an excellence outside prize giving ceremony venue worth Sh1.3 million, while AAR Healthcare Kenya was the official healthcare provider where the company offered emergency rescue services, physiotherapy services, onsite dental consultation, prostate cancer tests, cholesterol checks, random blood sugar checks, among other general wellness checks to all golfers.

Speaking during the prize giving ceremony which attended by NMG directors, senior managers and special guests of the Nation who included Kabondo Kaspul Member of Parliament Eve Akinyi Obara, the Nation’s Group CEO Stephen Gitagama said the Nation has been committed in supporting the game of golf for many years in the country because golf offers a great opportunity for the company to meet its clients and business partners.

“We will continue supporting the game of golf in the country and in particular the Nation Classic series because we believe it is a great opportunity for us to meet and interact with our clients,’’ he said.

He said besides the golf series, the company has also been supporting other social activities across the country. “As we do this, our focus has and will be on our consumers and I must thank all of you golfers who have continued supporting these series as well as the products that our company has been offering.’’

The NMG chairman Dr. Wilfred Kiboro thanked all the golfers who supported not only the grand finale but all the other events held in Nakuru, Nyahururu, Mombasa and Kisumu. Dr. Kiboro, who also participated in the event, said the Nation will continue supporting golf in the country.

“The nation has supported golf including the Kenya Open for a long time and it is our intention to continue supporting the event now that it has been upgraded to European Tour status,’’ said Kiboro.

Also playing in the grand finale were two former NMG CEOs Linus Gitahi and Joe Muganda.