Golfers pitch camp ahead of Ladies Coast open kick off on Monday

Mombasa Golf Club’s Lady Captain Fiona Mbadi.[Maarufu Mohamed, Standard].

Over 150 Lady golfers  from across the Country’s golf Clubs and beyond  kick start  their supremacy  in the week long Ladies  Coast  open golf Champions from Monday.

The event that will be played throughout the Coast golf club courses and ends on Sunday, tees off this morning at the Diani’s 18 holes par 72 Diamonds Leisure Beach & Golf Resort course in South Coast of Mombasa, Kwale County.

The Club’s Lady Captain Cheryl Bush said they are happy to welcome the Ladies to play and enjoy the course with lush green fairways that run through palm, cashew nut and casuarina Pine trees and overlooking the nearby Indian Ocean.

“The 6084-meter course has 85 bunkers and a large lake, plenty of water and sand obstacles that will challenge golfing skills but guarantees a challenging and exciting game of golf, “said Bush.

KLGU Coast Representative Terry Odoo.[Maarufu Mohamed, Standard].

The Ladies Coast Open tourney is organized under the umbrella of the Kenya Ladies Golf Union (KLGU) together with the KLGU Coast representative Teresia Odoo.

Odoo said after Kwale, the Ladies move to Mombasa Golf Club, Nyali Golf and Country Club in Mombasa County, Malindi Golf Club and finally pitching camp at Vipingo Golf Ridge in Kilifi County on Saturday, 5th, August.

She said that all the venues is ready  and  assured the Ladies  that all the Courses  are in pristine condition and that the event has been successful with the major sponsorship from Tourism Fund, Grain Bulk Handlers, KCB, Family Bank, EABL, AAR Health Care, Kericho Gold and Base Titanium.

Others  are  Neptune Hotels, Sarova Whitesands, Pauland, Dermazuri, Ace Plastic surgery, KCC, Khush Motors, Soliani, Coast Values, The LAWFORD, Fahawi Investments Ltd, Nulook Links, Plaza Beach Hotel, Paradise Destinations Ltd, Sandlovers Diani Real Estate, Atlas Tea Brokers, Silent night, Akina Tea, Tudor Health Care.

“The event has attracted various golfers from around the country and East African region including Tanzania, Uganda and Rwanda with a field of 150 lady participants, “said Odoo.

She said the ladies will enjoy the weeklong event that will prove a significant milestone in the history of the sport in Kenya and work to motivate the next generation of young female players throughout the country.

“Most participants will have arrived at the Coast since last Friday to acclimatize and most of them will be departing back to their destinations on Sunday, 6th of August, “said Odoo.

She pointed out that they are also intending to do a live scoring for the first time courtesy of Kenya Golf Union (KGU) and KLGU and that the event will showcase Kenya as a unique golfing and holiday destination as well as elevate the country as an important player on the world’s stage, not just in terms of golf but sports in general.

Diamond Leisure Resort Golf Club’s lady Captain Cheryl Bush.[Maarufu Mohamed, Standard]

Odoo said that  the  Coast Lady Captains who have managed to put all this together are, Cheryl Bush of Diamonds Leisure Golf Club, Fiona Mbandi from Mombasa Golf Club ,Maria Mariga of Nyali Golf & Country Golf Club,Hamida Chidagaya of Malindi Golf Club and Sue Williams from Vipingo Ridge Golf Club.

The defending champion for Leisure trophy Neema Olomi from Tanzania will be present alongside the defending champion for Mombasa, Vipingo and overall gross winner Naomi Wafula.

But the defending champion of Nyali Bowl Chanelle Wangari will be missing in action due to some other commitments.

Other Local ladies to watch this year are Margaret Njoki,Allysa Jamal, Susan Stokes, Mary Kandu,Mwongeli Nzioka,Martha Bibirye,Jacky Walter, Mercy Nyanchama,Kelly Gachaga,Esther Chumo and  among others Nancy Wanjiru.

Uganda has sent in Martha Babirye while Tanzania has Elias Vicky, Ann Wangombe and Nema Olomi.

According to the Ladies Calendar, they start with an 18 holes on Monday at Diamond Leisure Lodge, then move to Sea link Mombasa Course on Tuesday for another 18 holes and Nyali Golf and Country Club will host them on Wednesday for 36 holes before they relax on Thursday.

Action resumes on Friday at Malindi Golf club on Friday with 18 holes before they finalize on Saturday with another 18 holes tourney at the Vipingo Baobab Ridge Golf Course in Kilifi County.

Meanwhile ,Ann Kanyori survived  by single point over three close rivals to emerge  the overall winner of the CEOS Golf tournament played at the  par 72 Thika Greens Golf Resort’s championship  Course in Kiambu County on Saturday.

Playing off handicap 18 Kanyori rounded up the day’s 18 holes stable ford competition with an excellent score of 41 points to claim the overall title.

“it was a great  game in the  pristine course  as  I enjoyed it with my playing partners  but It was a tight finish  with some of my colleagues  and Iam grateful  it turned  out to be myself. This victory  came after  I have been recently improving  on my swings, chippings and putting  and  now  am fully ready to face head on and shine more  in the next upcoming  events,” said Kanyori.

Kanyori finished with just a single point ahead  of handicap 11 James Kibogo  who  carded a  count back  score of 40 points to claim  the man winner’s prize after tying  on the same score  with  man runners up placed handicap 26 Nicholas Kibera.

Valine Akoth  playing  off handicap 29  also returned  a  count back score of 40 points to win the Lady’s title , displacing  the lady runners up placed handicap 24 Esther Thal  who also  had the same points.

There was also another  40 points brought by  handicap  18 Rachel Ndei  but won  the  Member’s prize  ahead  by  four points  handicap 26 Alice Gicharu  who was  the member runners up.

Francis Wanjohi playing off handicap 30 carded the best day’s score of 44 points to walk home with the Subsidiary man’s prize and handicap 50 Doreen Kalu with 37 points was   the lady winner of the same.

Overall gross defending Champion Naomi Wafula of Vipingo Baobab Ridge Club.[Maarufu Mohamed, Standard]

And at the Great Rift Valley Golf Resort, Karen Country Club’s Terra Saidimu and hot charging junior golfer and Kenya Team player Elvis Muigua from Kiambu Golf Club paired up at the Great Rift Valley Golf Resort and played a team score of 43 points to emerge the winners of the international pairs qualifier played on Saturday in the ongoing 101st Kenya Amateur Match play Championship.

The two beat the pair of Kiplangat Sang and Ken Biegon from Kericho Golf Club on countback in the event attracting a total of 39 pairs from 19 clubs across the country.

The players from Kericho Golf Club had a great show where 4 pairs out of the 7 from the club finished within the top 5 positions.

The pairs of David Biegon and Charles Keter, Elvis Koech and Ezekiel Koech and Collins Kipkurui with Reuben Muruguru all played 41 points finishing in the 3rd, 4th and 5th positions respectively on countback.

The top 4 pairs and the first mixed pair of Bernard Kiraithe and Kathure Njoroge from Royal Nairobi Golf Club who played 39 points secured slots to the Kenya Grand Finale to be played on 1st September 2023.

The next qualifier event is set on the 5th August 2023 at Nyali Golf & Country Club and this will be followed by 3 more events at Windsor Golf & Country Club (12th August), Nakuru Golf Club (19th August) and VetLab Sports Club (26th August).

All golfers who are 18 years and above and have a valid WHS handicap index are eligible where in each qualifier, the top 4 pairs, best ladies’ pair or best mixed pair qualify for the Grand Finale.

Since the start of the series in 2019, 7 pairs have participated in the fully paid trip to the World Final in Portugal to be held from the 6th to 10th November at the Royal Obidos Spa & Golf Resort and Bom Sucesso Resort.

OTHER SELECTED CLUB RESULTS

NYALI GOLF AND COUNTRY CLUB;

August Mug and Ladies Medal/Strokes play Competition; Sponsored by NGCC

Total Participants-140 Golfers;

Mug;

Gross winner-William Kaguta (1)-71gross,Division A winner-Jimmy King'ori (9)-68nett,Runners up-William Kaguta (1)-70nett,Third-Rafiq Daya (10)-72nett C/B,Division B winner-Taib Bajaber (16)-68nett,Runners up-Martin Wahome (13)-69nett,Third-Fidel Wasike-Jnr (14)-70nett C/B,Division C winner-Shay Chauhan (27)-69nett,Runners up-Mukesh Sanghavi (28)-71nett C/B,Third-Nilesh Patel (22)-71nett,Division D winner-Brijesh Pattni (41)-67nett C/B,Runners-Naveed Arif (30)-67nett,Guest winner-Jack Okuku (12)-68nett,Best Caddy-William Odeck (4)-68nett;

Ladies medal;

Gross winner-Mwongeli Nzioka-79gross,Division A winner-Christine Ockotch (13)-67nett,Runners up-Mwongeli Nzioka (11)-68nett,Third-Joyce Masai (11)-71nett,Division B winner-Caroline Nyarandi (29)-63nett,Runners up-Divinah Ongaki (29)-70nett,Third-Pauline Gichara (33)-73nett,division C winner-Navinder Kaur (47)-71nett,Guest winner-Lucy Maina (19)-77nett,Best Lady caddy-Carren Akoth (15)-66nett,Best putter-Mwongeli Nzioka-28putts;

 VETLAB SPORTS CLUB;

Birju Shah Memorial Tournament;

Sponsored by Birju’s Family;

Overall winner-Samuel Maugo-Thomas Bisonga-44points,Runners up-Kennedy Ondieki-Wilberforce Nadida-44points,Third-Michael Kinuthia-Bernard Mandere-43points,Fourth-Anik Patel-Kirtan Patel-43points;