ROOKIE RANPURA WINS AIG TITLE: Handicap 23 golfer recovers from poor start to bag top honours

SPORTS-GOLF-VIMAL RANPURA;Vimal Ranpura displays his trophy at the club house on Saturday,027th August,2016 night.The Nyali Golfer was the overall winner on 40 count back points of the 2016 AIG sponsored golf tournament played at Nyali Course in Mombasa on Saturday,027th August,2016.PHOTO BY MAARUFU MOHAMED/STANDARD

Home Club’s little golfer Vimal Ranpura carded an excellent 40 count back 40 stable ford points to emerge the overall winner of the AIG golf tournament played at the par 71 Nyali golf and Country club course.

Despite a false start, posting a double bogey on the first par five hole, the handicap 23 golfer managed to recover in subsequent holes to level five pars and played mixed bogey shots on the rest of both nines to lead the board.

"I am extremely excited to be on the podium. I just played like any other golfer and I am happy to be the winner,” said Ranpura after the tournament on Saturday.

He had tied on the same points with handicap 24 club mate Suresh Hirani who was the men winner while handicap 26 John Middleman also from the same club was third on a count back score of 38 points.

The tournament attracted 150 golfers from the home club, Mombasa, Leisure, Vipingo, Malindi, sponsors (AIG) and their Guests with valid handicaps.

Nyali’s handicap 35 Pauline Gichara was the lady winner on 38 points, beating club mate handicap 28 Farida Saeed by a point’s difference. Farida settled for the runners up slot.

Machakos’ Jackson Maalu playing off handicap 14 was the Guest winner on 24 points and club mate Muindi Josphat playing off handicap 22 was the Staff winner on 33 points.

Sal Davis on 36 points and Alyssa Jamal on the same points and both from Nyali were the Best Senior and Best Junior winners respectively.

At Thika Petty Kigwe posted 74 nett to win the Silver medal in the Ladies Medal event while Mumbi Njuguna on 79 nett was the runners up.

The Bronze medal was won by Mariah Muthee on 67 nett and taking the runners up was Leah Waweri who had 72 nett.

Margaret Waweru on 100 gross was the gross winner and Patrick King’ori was the men winner 69 nett.

At Vet Lab, the 2016 Super golf sponsored by Super golf group was won by handicap 14 S.Olekantai on 40 points and Handicap 5 I.Makhoha was the men winner on 39 points.

Handicap 35 R Mwarania claimed the lady's prize on 37 points while handicap 3 E Kiarie on 36 points was the guest winner and taking the Sponsor’s prize was handicap 22 P Wahome who had 39 points.