Fierce contest in Kenya Amateur Strokeplay Championship

By Oscar Pilipili

Nelson Simwa of Vet Lab carded 70 points to take round one lead in Kenya Amateur Strokeplay Championship at Karen Country Club.

The Championship, which is part of Keringet-sponsored Golfer-of-the- Year (Goty) Series, teed off on competitive note with players going for each other’s jugular in search of valuable ranking points.

Organisers were forced to apply count back rule at various points to come up with day one overall rankings.

M Omondi required count back to relegate three other golfers and finish second overall on 72 points.

He was followed by John Wangai, R Njoroge and series leader David Opati, who all recorded 72 points in the three-day event, which ends today.

Organisers were also forced to apply countback rule again to decide position six where J Karichu topped with 73 points. Opati leads the series with 84.60 points followed by Simwa with 68.75 points.

The leader told FeverPitch that he intends to clinch the overall title at the event to cement his top position in the Goty rankings. The Strokeplay Championship has offered Karen opportunity to introduce some of the changes being done to the course as they prepare to host 2012 Kenya Open.

Karen Country Club captain Andy Watt said that a lot of work is going on bringing the greens back into shape following a particularly difficult, long cold “winter” period.

“Players will find all the surfaces are putting true, although the hollow tining and top dressing regime will mean that they’ll face different paces which will increase the challenge,” said Watt.

Watt said all the fairways have been more carefully sculpted, with clear definition between the fairway, semi-rough and rough, with good consistency in all three zones.

The most significant work is being done on holes four and five, where designs from David Jones, ex- Kenya Open champion and internationally renowned Golf Course designer are being implemented.