Top amateurs battle for Lady Captain’s Prize at Vet lab
What you need to know:
- Action resumes at club as it hosts annual Eastern Flour Mills tourney that has attracted over 90 golfers.
- Some 94 players had been drawn on Wednesday though club chairman Singh and his captain Paul Musembi Katuku said they were expecting more players to enter.
Action resumes this weekend at the nine-hole Machakos Golf Club course, two weeks after the Johnnie Walker golf tournament where handicap 14 Boniface Mumina beat five others on count-back with 39 points, to claim the overall title.
This weekend the par 72 course which is expected to be playing long because of the ongoing rains, is hosting the annual Eastern Flour Mills golf tournament courtesy of club chairman Swarn Singh who has been sponsoring the event since 2002.
Some 94 players had been drawn on Wednesday though club chairman Singh and his captain Paul Musembi Katuku said they were expecting more players to enter.
“We had not received a number of entries from some of our sister clubs like Kenya Air Force, Golf Park, and Kenya Railway, therefore we expect a field of more than 100 players on Saturday," said Singh.
Johnnie Walker champion Mumina, Victor Mutwii, Josephat Mboya and defending champion Jackson Nzioki who last year carded an impressive 40 points same as lady captain Jennifer Ngure, to claim the men’s first prize, are some of the players to watch.
Also seeking the overall title will be handicap 12 Dee Kivuva who missed the Johnnie Walker title by two points and handicap four James Ndunda who posted 35 points.
This year, the club chairman has been very generous, offering a total of 17 prizes for members and guests.
Teeing off for those drawn in the morning is set for 7am.
Meanwhile, Kiambu Golf Club will host the Tropikal Brands and Oxygene tournament that has been taking place annually since 2013.
Like last year, this weekend’s event, courtesy of club director Davies Mukuria, and which follows another one held at Ruiru Sports Club, has attracted an impressive field of 135 players.
Among those drawn include the handicap four John Ngure, who clinched the gross title during last year’s tournament. Also drawn is Michael Karanga, who carded six over par 78 to finish just a shot behind Ngure during last weekend’s Mashujaa Day tournament.
With the course playing long due to the rains, the single figure handicap golfers, who are able to give the ball enough air time, are likely to have a field day.
Like the Ruiru event, Tropikal Brands are giving lots of goodies in addition to the fabulous prizes which will be at stake this weekend.
Back in Ruiru, the par 72 course will be the venue of the Okolea International golf day, which brings together a field of 150 golfers.
Okolea, a financial technology firm that deals in digital loans, money transfer and digital payment, big data and accounting software, has sponsored a golf event at Ruiru before.
During last weekend’s Ponyea India Mashujaa Day, there was stiff competition involving Kinyua Muchiri, Jessy Ndegwa, Paul Mburum and George Ndungu all who posted 39 points. Muchiri, who is also the club’s greenkeeper, eventually won on count back to claim a medical check-up to trip to India.
In Nairobi, the weekend’s highlight will be the Chairman’s Prize at Muthaiga Friday and Saturday and the Lady Captain’s (Rachel Ndei) at Vet Lab Sports Club. Both events have attracted huge entries hence an early start from 6am. Those drawn at Muthaiga include the handicap four George Njuguna Njugu popularly known as “Ballesteros".
At Vet Lab, all the leading amateurs such as Edwin Mudanyi, Isaac Makokha and Mike Kisia among many others will be in action in the Lady Captain’s Prize while the eyeing the ladies title will be veteran Mary Karano, Joyce Wafula, Naomi Wakesho, Ann Mululu and Frankie Gichuru among others.
