Golf Park pro clinches Great Rift title despite a poor final round
Golf Park’s David Wakhu claimed the third leg title at the par 71 Great Rift Valley Golf Resort in Naivasha despite bogeying six holes in the final round yesterday where he blamed slow play by the teams which played ahead of the last group.
“I real wanted an under par final round, but along the way I started putting badly despite having started with a birdie on the first hole which ended up being the only birdie of the round.
We had to wait in every hole and that real messed my focus and concentration and my plan to score all under par rounds’’ said Wakhu who finished on level par in the opening nine after dropping a shot at the fifth hole.
But worse was to come at the back nine he three putted the 11th, then drafted his tee shot at the par three 12th, while after hitting a perfect driver at the par five‐14th, he waited for more than 10 minutes and that was followed by an out of bound approach eight iron shot which resulted in a bogey.
He then three putted the par five‐17th and missed a birdie narrowly at the 18th for a five over par 76 and a four rounds total of over par 285.
“I am so grateful to my caddie Stephen Gachara and his boss Tom Fraser for their help during the week’’ added Wakhu who won by three shots from Kenya Railway Golf Club’s Samuel Njoroge.
The over par score however denied him more cash usual given as under par scores bonus. All the same he Wakhu took home Sh276, 667.
On the other hand, Njoroge who was in the last flight with Wakhu shot four over par 75 four over total of 288, with round one leader Greg Snow of Muthaiga posting 76 for five over par 289.
Youngster Mathew Wahome whose club Nyali is hosting the fourth leg next week, shot one over par 72 for a total of 290.
The only under par score of two under 69 was posted by Rwanda’s Aloys Nsabimana which pushed him to ninth place on 293.
“I am happy at least I was able to play well though it came a bit late, but I believe my game is definitely going to improve as we go along’’ said Nsabimana who is sponsored by Falcon Country Club of Rwanda courtesy of leading amateur golfer in Rwanda, Innocent Rutamu.
