Top amateurs eye points in Coronation Trophy

The hunt for points towards the Kenya Amateur Golf Championship (KAGC) and the World Ranking Points, returns to the greater Rift Valley region at Nakuru Golf Club where the hilly par-73 course hosts the 2019 edition of the Coronation Trophy golf tournament.

The 54-hole event which marks its 65th anniversary has attracted a field of 98 players, 76 of whom will be battling it out in the main event for the Coronation Trophy while 22 will vie for the subsidiary Bendor Trophy.

The field in the main event includes seven of the national team players who have been in training preparing for the 2019 Victoria Cup between Kenya and Uganda to be held at Uganda Golf Club in Kampala Uganda from July 3 to 6.

They are William Odera of Golf Park, Limuru’s Paul Muchangi, Mathew Wahome, Nyalis’ Daniel Nduva, Simon Njogu (Great Rift), Vet Lab’s Robinson Owiti and home player Daniel Kiragu.

NJOROGE OUT

However, missing in this weekend’s Nakuru line-up among the leading amateurs is Kenya Railway Golf Club’s Samuel Njoroge who is currently in Ireland for an international event, and two juniors Mutahi Kibugu of Muthaiga and Royal Nairobi’s Korby Gatiramu. The three are also part of the Uganda-bound national team.

Leading the challenge this weekend, will be Nyali’s Matthew Wahome who two weeks ago clinched the Trans Nzoia Open at Kitale Golf Club with an impressive score of level par 219. He won by five shots from Nanyuki Sports Club’s Peter Rimui.

To challenge Wahome this weekend, besides Rimui, will be his club-mate Nduva, Muchangi, Owiti, and Simon Njogu.

Whilst Nduva and Njogu missed the Trans Nzoia Open, Muchangi and Owiti were in Kitale although they did not perform well and it will be interesting to see what kind of scores they post.

Teeing off for the opening round is set for 6am followed by the second round from 11.45am, while the third and final round will take place on Sunday morning.

Meanwhile, the par-72 Ruiru Sports Club course will host this year’s edition of the annual accountants golf tournament with 200 players expected.

Some of the accountants drawn this year include 2018 winner Willy Kagicha who returned an amazing score of 44 points. He will be facing 2017 winner John Gitau and long-hitting Anthony Mwenja, Mike Nyangi, Chris Kiai and Samuel Njiinu who have been in great form lately.

Last weekend the club hosted the first leg of the International Pairs tournament sponsored by Windhoek where club captain Peter Mwaura and his partner Samson Mwongela topped the list of the five pairs who qualified for the national finals. The course has made some tremendous improvement and some interesting scores are anticipated this weekend.

Thika Sports Club will this weekend host the Thika Ladies Open, an annual event and one of the major events for local women’s golf.

The ladies will tee off from 6.30am followed by the men’s subsidiary from 11.30am. Among the leading lady golfers going for the overall title in the Silver division, will be Kiambu’s Joyce Wanjiru who has been missing in action for some time.

The field also includes Vet Lab’s Rachel Ndei and Agnes Nyakio, Limuru’s Carol Wangari, and Golf Park’s Naomi Wakesho.

At Muthaiga, the annual PCEA St. Andrews Church charity golf tournament marks its 10th anniversary with a huge field of 250 players. The chairman of the golf fund raising committee Ngure Kimotho says the PCEA Church and golf have many similarities as the Church was started by missionaries from St. Andrews in Scotland which is the origin of the game of golf.

“Hence we chose golf as a means of fund raising for the church and we once again make an appeal for golfers to support this year’s event," he added.