Home player reigns at three-day Junior Strokeplay at Muthaiga
Lynette Matheka and Ernest Mbiri
Home player Taimur Malik shook off a slow start to play for an impressive three under par 68 in the final round of the three-day annual Junior Golf Foundation (JGF) Junior Strokeplay Championship at the par 71 Muthaiga Golf Club to be crowned champion.
The youngster had started the championship with an eight over par 79 score in the first round played on Monday and followed it up with a three over par 74 in the second round played on Tuesday morning to tie third at an aggregate score of 153.
He got better in the third round on Tuesday afternoon as he dropped just two shots for two over par 73 and an aggregate of 226 going into the final round.
His brilliance on the course in the final round played yesterday morning, where he returned the only under par score in the tournament’s four rounds, saw him crowned the overall gross winner with a 294 aggregate score.
The home players dominated in this championship as Mutahi Kibugu was crowned gross winner in the 16-21 years category after playing a steady round of golf for an aggregate score of 297 for second place overall. Kibugu fired rounds of 78, 72, 73 and 74 for the final score.
Zubair Khan had a final round to forget as he returned a score of eight over par 79 which saw him drop to third place overall and picked the runners-up prize in the 16-21 years category.
The Muthaiga youngster had played for five over par 76 to take a two-shot lead from club-mate Kibugi in the first round. He was in his best form in this championship on the second round as he shot one over par 72 to maintain a lead half-way through the tournament.
A third round score of three over par 74 had set Khan of the path to victory but he dropped eight shots in the final round yesterday for an aggregate score of 301 to rank third overall.
Leo Zurovac was crowned champion in the 14-15 years category after rounds of 87, 75, 80 and 72 for 314 gross score. Andrew Wahome won in the 13 and under category after an aggregate score of 327.
The tournament, which was organised by the Junior Golf Foundation and sponsored by Crown Paints Limited, is one of the World Ranking events in the country.
