Karuga and Co shine at East Africa Golf Tour in Nakuru
Godwin Karuga and his team of M S Malik, Nicholas Karoki and Geoffrey Wafula returned a combined score of 100 stableford points to be crowned the overall team winners during the 9th leg of the KCB East Africa Golf Tour at the Nakuru Golf Club on Saturday.
Karuga’s team overpowered Titus Lusaka, Mathew Maiyo, Mandeep Sahota, and Amardeep Jajuha who returned a combined score of 95 points to emerge second in the golf tourney that was graced by 202 golfers. The two teams will join eight other teams that have already qualified for the grand finale set for November this year at the Karen Country Club in Nairobi.
Speaking after the prize-giving, Godwin Kiragu said: “I have a very amazing four-ball. We did not know each other going into the first tee but teamwork, coordination and hard work gave us the victory today. We will now continue practicing for the grand finale since we have time.”
Handicap 10 Kericho-based golfer Collins Kipkirui carded an impressive 21 points in the first nine and 22 in the second nine to claim the overall winner award with 43 stableford points at the Nakuru’s golf course.
Prof. John Muriithi playing off handicap 10 was crowned the men winner having carded 40 stableford points while Felistah Njeri off handicap 20 was the lady winner with 33 points.
Handicap 9 golfer Tony Tugee clinched the guest winner award carding 36 stableford points while Western Regional Business Manager Eliud Siganga who plays off handicap 26 was awarded as the best staff performer of the day with 37 points. Ibrahim Lande (14) came in second with 34 stableford points.
Jastej Sehmi playing off handicap 22 was rewarded as the best junior golfer of the day. Collins Kipkurui received the longest drive award in the men’s category while Linda Munyao claimed it in the ladies’ category.
The day’s action will culminate in a juniors’ and ladies’ clinic on Sunday afternoon that has reached over 500 participants so far. There will be tree planting exercise as well even as KCB continues to keep sustainability at the heart of its operations.
NCBA Golf Series
The tenth leg of the 2023 NCBA Golf Series took place at Muthaiga Golf Club on Saturday, attracting 250 golfers in a highly competitive event.
The golfers battled it out for a chance to secure slots in the tournament’s Grand Finale. The day witnessed remarkable performances across various categories, with Evans Vitisia claiming the Overall Gross Winner title with a remarkable score of 73 gross.
In the Men’s Gross category, handicap 2 golfer Kavit Bhakoo secured the top spot with 74 gross, beating Ben Murimi, playing off handicap 6, on countback.
Nancy Ndungu, playing off handicap 7, emerged as the winner in the Ladies category on countback with a score of 87 gross. Rachna Patel, playing off handicap 14, secured the second position with the same score.
In the Nett categories, Kaburu Mwirichia, playing off handicap 22, clinched the top position among the Men with an impressive score of 62 nett. Janerose Gitari, playing off handicap 23, claimed victory among the ladies with a score of 87 nett.
At the same time, the Juniors category saw Junaid Manji as the winner with a score of 79 gross.
In other results, Ayran Patel and Olive Njagi were victorious in the Longest Drive Challenge for the men and ladies’ categories, respectively. Ayran Patel also claimed the Nearest to the Pin Challenge.
Speaking during the tournament, NCBA Group Investment Banking MD Kathure Nyamu said: “The tenth leg of the 2023 NCBA Golf Series at Muthaiga Golf Club has been nothing short of a success. The talent and dedication displayed by the golfers were inspiring. We are proud to witness the growth of the sport in the region and look forward to the Grand Finale, where we will witness even more exceptional performances.”
“At NCBA, we believe in building strong connections with our stakeholders and the communities within which we operate. It is for this reason that the NCBA Golf Series is an important platform that brings together golf enthusiasts from different backgrounds, and in the process helps in fostering bonds and relationships between us and the golfing community,” she added.
In addition to the action on the course, the event also featured an engaging staff golf clinic conducted on the sidelines of the tournament. The clinic provided an opportunity for the staff members of NCBA to experience the sport first-hand and receive expert guidance from seasoned golf instructors.
Following the successful conclusion of the Muthaiga event, the Series now moves to Nyali Golf & Country Club on August 12 for the eleventh leg.
