Kimani keeps Kenyan flag flying high

By The Albatross

On a day that saw the course claiming several strokes, Ali Kimani held his own to keep the Kenyan flag flying high.

Playing in game 32, the last team of the day, in the company of seasoned Englishman Oliver Fisher, Kimani tackled the first nine from 12.30pm and finished off with a par on the ninth green to maintain his overall lead at seven under par.

That side was not without its up and downs as a birdie on the par four third compensated a bogie on the par five seventh.

A driver that was pushed right on the 10th tee, a recovery shot followed by an approach shot that found the water resulted in a double bogie causing Kimani to drop to five under.

While Kimani was going through those tribulations on the 10th, Fisher was sitting pretty on the green for two, and a relatively easy birdie catapulted him up to the top of the leader board at seven under.

Off target

Kimani’s tee shot on the 13th missed the green and landed behind the bunkers on the left, but after a near perfect chip that ended up half a metre off target, a missed putt brought Kimani to a cumulative four under par.

A further two bogies down the road, one each on the 14th and the 15th, and a closing par on the 18th saw Kimani close at a cumulative two under par on the third day of this prestigious tournament.

Meanwhile, Oliver Fisher’s fortunes saw an upward turn and a closing birdie on the eighteenth saw him finish atop the leader board on a cumulative eight under par.

This was a day when the crowds turned up in their multitudes and followed their hero of the day, Ali Kimani, all the way from the first tee to the 18th green. That was tremendous support from the spectators.

In the post-match interview, Kimani said he expects to play a full recovery game today and charge to the top. He felt he was striking the ball well, but it was one of those days in golf when a slight error in positioning results in errant scores.

On his part, Fisher said he enjoys playing in the Kenya Open and the Muthaiga course challenges him on account of the altitude.

"Precision is the name of the game", he stated. "It is to drop shots anywhere on this course, but from hole number 13 through 16, one could easily find oneself dropping shots", he added. "But with accurate positioning one could assure a steady game".

The recovery story of the day belongs the Frenchman Baptiste Chapellan. He climbed from the 36th position at the beginning of the day to tied fourth, after joining in the best rounds of the day with a minus five.