Teen Malik takes Winston Churchill Cup lead

What you need to know:

  • The Uganda Open champion Nduva, who had also bogeyed the 13th and 15th and the front nine’s eighth, had in all five birdies for the day.
  • Kibugu made birdies at the second and 14th but also dropped shots at the eighth, 10th and 18th.

Muthaiga Golf Club’s teenager Taimur Malik fired level par 72, to take a narrow one shot lead in the Safari Park Hotel-sponsored Winston Churchill Cup at the par 72 Thika Sports Club Course on Friday.

The 16-year-old Malik, birdied the first and seventh and dropped a shot at the fifth to cross to the back nine with one under par score.

He made his third birdie of the day at the 14th, but threw away a great chance of an under par finish when he bogeyed the 15th, 16th and 17th holes.

He starts Saturday morning’s second round, a shot better than tournament favourite Daniel Nduva of Nyali and another Muthaiga player Mutahi Kibugu.

Both shot one over par 73 each with Nduva having thrown away what looked like a great round, when he picked up a double bogey at the 17th and a single one at the 18th hole.

The Uganda Open champion Nduva, who had also bogeyed the 13th and 15th and the front nine’s eighth, had in all five birdies for the day.

Kibugu made birdies at the second and 14th but also dropped shots at the eighth, 10th and 18th.

Home player Peter Rimui tied for fourth place with Anthony Irungu of Muthaiga, and William Odera of Golf Park.

This year, the event is sponsored by Safari Park Hotel. The hotel has supported the club for a number of years by sponsoring events at Thika.

Besides the giveaway prizes, Safari Park that have also partnered with Centro Foods Industries and Dormans Coffee, will also provide a free five course dinner during the prize giving ceremony.

In Kisumu, the Lake side Nyanza Golf Club course will host the ICDC (Industrial and Commercial Development Corporation) event where a field of 74 golfers drawn from the various clubs in the Western region, will be battling it out for a number of prizes on offer.

According to ICDC chairman Bernard Mungata, a golfer and member of Machakos Golf Club, the main objective of hosting the event in Kisumu County, is to try and reach out to investors within Kisumu County and its environs, with the view of informing them of the great opportunities ICDC has to offer.

“Over the past 64 years ICDC has played a vital role in promoting projects that have created substantial wealth and jobs in Kenya.

“We would like to achieve this by executing various strategies that include sponsoring Golf Tournaments across all the counties in the country," said Mungata.

Last year, ICDC sponsored a major tournament at Machakos Golf Club which attracted a record entry.

Among those drawn are Nyanza Golf Club-based professional David Odhiambo.