Samuel Njoroge clinches Nyali Open

Kenya amateur stroke-play champion Samuel Njoroge produced a fine round of one under par 70 in the closing round to clinch the 2018 Nyali Open Golf tournament at Nyali Golf and Country Club course on Sunday.

The plus two handicap Njoroge from Kenya Railway Golf Club started the final round a shot behind day one leader Robinson Owiti. He rolled in a 15-feet birdie at the home green (18th), after an earlier one at the 14th to claim the overall title with a three rounds total of 218 gross.

He had started the day with a birdie at the par five-first hole and though he missed a putt at the fifth and earlier at the third, Njoroge remained steady all the way to the end, eventually beating Nanyuki-based Peter Rimui by four shots.

“I am really happy to win this event, I have been trying since 2015 when I played here for the first time and finished third. I knew I had a good chance this time around when I started with a round of 75’’said Njoroge whose victory also saw clinch the Kenya Amateur Golf Championship (KAGC) series Order of Merit.

“The heat and sometimes wind was too much though the course I must say was in great condition. The greens were hard and fast which is good particularly as we prepare for the Kenya Open” added Njoroge.

On the other hand, Rimui who shot 75 each in the first and second round, carded one over par in the final round for a total of 222 just a shot from Vet Lab’s Mike Kisia who fired four over par 75 for 223 while Owiti bogeyed a number of holes including the 18th for a 78 in the final round, to drop to fourth place on 225.

Taking the first round gross with 72 was Joseph Chinywaai from Uganda while youngster Taimur Malik of Windsor took the second round on 71 with Vet Lab’s Edwin Mudanyi taking the third n 72. In the handicap section, Henry Kamau of Nyali carded 217 nett to win by two shots from another Nyali player Sammy Mulama.

In third place was the 12 year old Andrew Wahome also a Nyali Golf Club member and the youngest in the tournament who carded 220 nett. The three nett rounds went to Philip Mbugua of Nyali on 67, Reuben Njoroge of Karen on 69 and George Githinji of Nyali with 70.

The Inter-Club challenge also remained at Nyali with the pair of Sammy Mulama and Henry Kamau who posted 436 gross, to win ahead of Andrew Chelogoi and Shaleen Nanji on 448.

A number of juniors under the Alice Wahome junior programme took part in the event with one of them Rumil Jayasinghe carding an impressive three rounds nett score of 213 which included a round of 63 nett.