Thika Pro Simon Ngige Shines as Kenyan Pro's Posts Mixed Results

Simon Ngige lines up a putt at the Karen Country Club on Round One of the 2019 Magical Kenya Open Golf Championship [Courtesy]

Thika Sports Club’s Professional Golfer Simon Ngige completed day one of the 2019 Magical Kenya Open Golf Championship that was staged at the Par 72 Karen Club as the highest ranked local pro having returned an impressive 3-under par 68 score to end the day 13^th on the leader-board, four shots behind the clubhouse leaders.

This, as Kenyan players taking part at the Magical Kenya Open Championship posted mixed results.

The Thika Pro, Starting off at the first tee in the afternoon, only dropped two shots on the first nine, at the par-4 first and the par-3 second before holing birdies at the par-5 sixth, the par-4 eighth and the par-4 ninth for a total of 34.

On the back nine, he dropped a lone birdie at the par-3 16^th, but birdies at the par-5 11^th, the par-4 15^th and par-4, 17^th holes were enough to secure a total of 34.

Ngige said after the round "I had a shaky start dropping two shots at the start, but a conversation with my caddie stabilized my approach and I attained some level of focus. 

The wind was a challenge, and the course was quite bumpy as some groups had played on the course in the morning, but overall it was a good day for me. Going into tomorrow’s round, I want to remain focused on the game and ensure that I am just playing the ball.”

Johnnie Walker-sponsored, hard-hitting Mumias Professional Dismas Indiza started off his campaign to a flyer, finishing 2-under par 69 to leave him in fifth by the time he left the 18^th green.

Indiza started his round from the par-4, 10^th tee with a birdie before following it up with another at the par-5,11^th.

He, however, struggled to hole consecutive bogeys at the par-5, 12^th, par-4, 13^th and par-3, 14^th holes before holding par on the rest of the holes for a total of 37. He found the groove back on the first nine to play blemish-free to hole birdies on the par-3 4^th, par-5, 6^th and par-4, 7^th holes for a total of 32.

The Mumias Golfer, Indiza said "I tried my best to play well since I started with consecutive birdied at the 10^th and the 11^th holes before struggling at the 12^th, 13^th and 14th holes, but I later calmed down and started playing well but it was generally a decent outing for me today and I felt that I don’t have much to improve on going into round two tomorrow.”

Great Rift Valley Lodge and Golf Resort’s Jastus Madoya returned a level-par 71 score to finish the round tied in 36^th, and third overall among the Kenyans at the tournament after the round. He carded a total of 37 on the first nine courtesy of three bogeys – at the second, sixth and ninth - and a lone birdie at the par-4, seventh. On the back nine he hit three birdies – at the 11^th, 12^th, and 17^th holes – and dropped a single shot at the 14^th for a total of 34.

Golf Park’s Tony Omuli shot a decent 1-over par 72 on the round to finish the day tied in 54^th; with his scorecard featured an impressive eagle at the par-5, sixth.

Meanwhile, Muthaiga’s Greg Snow and Vet lab’s Edwin Mudanyi finished the round with a two-over par score to finish tied in 74^th. Greg, who played in the company of 15-time European Tour Champion and immediate former Ryder Cup captain, Thomas Bjorn and the winner of the 2019 Qatar Masters, Justin Harding, looks to reverse his luck tomorrow for any chances of making the Cut.

“I was a bit shaky off the tee today and I didn’t hit it well, but I grinded it out really well on the back nine, where I found some form, and that’s how I was able to finish the day off with a 73. Tomorrow I’ll just go out there and have fun, shoot a good score and we should be good for the weekend,” he said.

David Wakhu, Nyanza's David Odhiambo and Nelson Simwa all returned a 4-over par 74 score to finish tied for 95^th. Among the pros, Jacob Okello struggled the most to fining the day tied in 139^th place with a nine-over par score. Among the amateurs, Samuel Njoroge was best of the lot with a 4-over par score to finish tied in 109^th.

Action for Round Two of the 2019 Magical Kenya Open Golf Championship resumes tomorrow at 7:20am.