Wakhu pulls surprise to clinch Diani Masters
David Wakhu tees off from the 9th hole tee during Road to Karen Masters Golf tournament for professionals at Karen Golf and Country Club on June 27, 2018. PHOTO | CHRIS OMOLLO |
What you need to know:
Wakhu took home Sh135,000 while Charania who carded one over par 73 in the closing round for 222 went home with Sh90,000. Nyali’s Njuguna Ngugi also on 73 tied third with Frank Matilo on a total of 224
Wakhu, who started the day four shots off the leader Snow, made three birdies on the fifth, 13th and 15th though he also dropped two shots at the second and fourth holes, to win the Prime Bank sponsored tournament with a three rounds total of four over par 220
A total of 21 professionals had made the cut in the one million shillings event which marked its third year since it was revived as a pro-Am event
Golf Park’s David Wakhu overpowered day two leader Greg Snow with a final round under par 71, to claim this year’s Diani Beach Masters title, his second golf victory in two months, at the par 72 Leisure Lodge Golf and Beach Resort course on Sunday.
Wakhu, who started the day four shots off the leader Snow, made three birdies on the fifth, 13th and 15th though he also dropped two shots at the second and fourth holes, to win the Prime Bank sponsored tournament with a three rounds total of four over par 220.
"I managed to adjust my irons and tried to swing smoothly in addition to gauging the wind," said Wakhu who won the first leg of the Safari Tour at Nyali Golf and Country Club in August. He said the greens were a bit better than during the first two rounds.
“They were rolling nicely and I managed to stroke my putts. From now on, I will be a bit aggressive as opposed to playing defensively, but at the same time would like to sharpen my shot game’’ added Wakhu who beat Windsor’s Riz Charania by two shots.
Wakhu took home Sh135,000 while Charania who carded one over par 73 in the closing round for 222 went home with Sh90,000. Nyali’s Njuguna Ngugi also on 73 tied third with Frank Matilo on a total of 224.
The Great Rift Valley Resort’s Justus Madoya and the round two leader Snow had a rough time in the closing round.
Madoya carded 79 to drop from second to fifth place on 225 while Snow shot an awful 82 and after picking up a number of bogeys to drop to joint eighth with Frank Matilo on 227, just a shot better than Dismas Indiza and Alfred Nandwa.
A total of 21 professionals had made the cut in the one million shillings event which marked its third year since it was revived as a pro-Am event.
The final leaderboard;
220 David Wakhu 74, 75, 71
222 Riz Charania 74, 75, 73
224 Njuguna Ngugi 75, 76, 73
224 Frank Matilo 74, 75, 75
225 Justus Madoya 71, 75, 79
226 Kayyam Mandhu (Zim) 81, 71, 73
227 Jeff Kubwa 78, 75, 74
227 Greg Snow 72, 73, 82
228 Dismas Indiza 81, 72, 75
228 Alfred Nandwa 73, 76, 79
