Local golf clubs renew rivalry at Royal

All is now set for this year’s Tannahill Shield golf championship as a field of 90 leading amateurs making nine teams of 10 players each, converge on the par 72 Royal Nairobi Golf Club course on Friday from noon.

The nine teams include Windsor Golf Hotel and Country Club, which makes a come back after being relegated in 2016.

And among the players Windsor will be parading this weekend at Royal where the event marks its 93rd anniversary, will be Moi Lemoshira, Kenya’s ambassador to Algeria who has been representing Vet Lab over the years.

Muthaiga Golf Club, which is the most successful club in the Shield history, produced a superb display in the closing round where they send Railway packing with a clean 8-0 victory last year.

Muthaiga also beat Mombasa 6-2 for 14 points in that round, which helped them beat hosts Royal by three points for the title. Before 2017, Royal had claimed the Shield three years in a row from 2014.

Royal captain Sunny Babra says they are determined to re-claim the Shield from the arch-rivals Muthaiga. “Just like last year, we have a strong team which I believe is capable of recapturing the Shield," said Babra.

While a number of teams have made some changes in their line-ups, defending champions Muthaiga and hosts Royal are fielding more or less the same teams as in 2017. However, Muthaiga will miss the service of Jeff Kubwa who is now a professional. He has been replaced by Kushil Nathwani.

'STRONG MUTHAIGA SIDE'

The Muthaiga side also includes veteran golfer Evans Vitisia, former national team captain Kumar Dhall, Rajesh Bhabra and former Muthaiga captain and chairman Bhavnish Chandaria.

Also included are the two national junior team players Mutahi Kibugu and Zubair Khan.

The home team has strong matchplay players Jay Sandhu, Dennis Saikwa, Kevin Juma and Bo Ciera and will include senior players Joseah Kogo, Abner Onsomu and the father and son pair of Paul and Joshua Ichangi.

Vet Lab and Limuru also look strong on paper with the Limuru line-up including former Golfer of The Year champion John Karichu, former national team captain Francis Kimani, and Paul Muchangi.

Like Royal, Limuru also features a father and son pair of George and Dennis Maara while appearing for Vet Lab, who finished third last year with 38 points, will be 2017 leading amateur Edwin Mudanyi, Robinson Owiti, Mike Kisia, and Mombasa-based former Nyali captain Gurbux Singh.

In Friday’s first round, Royal will take on Karen and Limuru from noon on the first tee where defending champion Muthaiga will meet Western and Mombasa.

On the 10th tee, Vet Lab will battle it out with Sigona and Windsor. The second and third round will take place on Saturday morning and afternoon with the fourth and final round set for Sunday morning. The format as usual will be foursomes matchplay.

Meanwhile, Muthaiga’s junior team of Mutahi Kibugu/Daniel Kiragu and Zubair Khan /Emir Hussein posted a total of 313 gross, to win the Junior edition of the 2018 Tannahill Shield played at Royal on Tuesday and Wednesday.

They beat the host team of Wambugu Ikinu/Njogu Kungu and Karl Gatiramu/Koby Gatiramu by 16 shots, in third place was Vet Lab’s team of Kaisan Virani/ Dilan Thakkar And Steve Orinda/Rohan Lakhani on 368 gross, while Royal’s B team made up of Victor Maiyo/Oki Amayo and Brendon Kinuthia/Shonay Shah was fourth with a score of 373 gross.

Finishing in fifth place was Sigona’s Dev Savani/Arnav Hindocha and K. Assaria/Viraj Shah with 384 gross.

The Junior Tannahill Shield, a curtain-riser for the main event, is usually held at the beginning of the Tannahill Shield week.