Top golfers battle in Chairman’s Putter

By Oscar Pilipili

Top golfers will be guided by their selfish interest first to secure points in Chairman’s Putter golf tournament at the Vet Lab Sports Club.

The Nairobi-based club will host one of the oldest tournaments in the country – the Chairman’s Putter – sponsored by Kenya Reinsurance Corporation, Dasani, Centonomy and Bonfide.

With rains having subsided, golfers hope the sunny conditions, which have been experienced for the last five days will extend into the weekend for them to display free-flowing game.

The golfers will circle twice on a nine greens course since other holes are being developed.

The contest starts early this morning with eight professionals teeing off in groups of two at 6:14am and 6:22am, in groups of four.

Professionals involved in the tournament include Vet Lab’s Ali Kimani and Brain Njoroge, Jacob Okello and Albert Orende both of Golf Park, Boniface Kimwa of Eldoret and John Kagiri of Limuru.

Vet Lab Lady’s Captain Mukami Gatonye tees off at 7:16am alongside A Thompson, D Kihara and N Opiyo. Chairman’s Putter tournament was started in 1972 and today’s event has attracted 160 players from various clubs.

According to available draws, the last group to tee off is that one of Shankeet Shah, Kalpesh Shah, Nitin Harania and Sudhir Shah at 1:32pm.

Meanwhile, world number two Rory McIlroy is exhausted and run down and may have to pull out of next week’s inaugural Thailand Golf Championship, his Horizon Sports management team said yesterday.

"Rory has a low white blood cell count and low platelets," a member of Horizon Sports who declined to be identified told Reuters at the Dubai World Championship.

"He has a doctor coming to see him again on Saturday evening and they have just told him to hydrate, take iron and salt tablets and rest.

"We’ve told the Thailand organisers, they know he’s been sick for a few weeks. He wants to play there but I think he’ll make a decision tomorrow night," added the source.

"The doctors are saying it’s exhaustion, him being run down. The blood count obviously affects his energy levels in a big way."

U.S. Open champion McIlroy is locked in a straight fight with Luke Donald to win the money-list at the European Tour’s season-ending event in Dubai.