TEAM KENYA OFF TO ETHIOPIA: KGU chair leads squad for East African Challenge

PORTS-GOLF-ROBINSON OWITI; SPORTS-GOLF-ROBINSON OWITI; Vet Lab's Robinson Owiti (left) receives the Green Jacket from last year's Title winner Hitten Kumar at Leisure Lodge golf Club house on Sunday,04th October,2015. Owiti was the overall winner on 149 gross of this year's annual Diani Beach Masters golf Championships.PHOTO BY MAARUFU MOHAMED/DStandard.

The new-look Kenya national golf team to the East African 2016 Golf Challenge leaves the country today for Ethiopia.

A statement from KGU yesterday said Team Kenya is among other four countries that include defending champions Uganda, hosts Ethiopia, Tanzania and Rwanda who will battle for the coveted trophy.

The team is accompanied by KGU chairman Muchau Githiaka, his deputy Richard Wanjala and team coach Brian Njoroge. The players are Railways’ Alfred Nandwa, Daniel Nduva (Nyali), John Lejirma (Golf Park), Edwin Mudanyi (Vet Labs), Simon Njogu (Great Rift) and Robinson Owiti (Vet Labs) and the Juniors are Kenya’s top ranked junior Agil Is Haq from Nyali and Muthaiga’s Mutahi Kibugu, who was handed a wild card.

Githiaka said the team is in high spirits and confident of bringing the trophy home after the week-long event that ends on Saturday.

He said although Kenya bitterly lost to Ugandans in Kampala last year, it has won the trophy a record 12 times since 1999 and that, this time things will be different.

The East Africa Golf Challenge was first played in 1999 in Kenya and remains one of the most prestigious golf competitions in East Africa. It involves members of East Africa Community with each country presenting eight players.

The format involves four rounds of golf with singles, foursomes, four ball, better ball and final singles.

Meanwhile Railways’ Alfred Nandwa is the 2016 Kenya Amateur stroke play Champion after emerging the overall winner at the par 72 Thika Sports club in Kiambu County on Saturday.

After a poor start in the first and second day Nandwa came from behind to post a round total of 298 gross to claim the trophy.