KENYANS FLYING HIGH IN UGANDA: Eleven golfers make cut in regional tourney

SPORTS-GOLF-STEFAN ANDERSON; South African based Kenyan Stefan Anderson makes a swing. He posted 141 gross to lead the second round of the ongoing Tusker Malt Uganda open golf Championship at the Kitante's Uganda Golf Course in Kampala, Uganda on Thursday,01st September,2016.PHOTO BY MAARUFU MOHAMED/STANDARD

Eleven Kenyans finally made it to the grand final of the ongoing Tusker Malt Uganda Open professional golf championships at Kitante, a golf course in Kampala, Uganda on Thursday evening.

This is after South Africa-based Kenyan professional Stefan Anderson, who is also a Sunshine tour golfer, recovered from a false start on 75 gross on the first round on Wednesday.

He carded a superb six under par 66 gross in the second round on Thursday to lead on a 141 gross after stealing the lead from Thika’s Simon Ngugi who was the day one leader on 66 gross.

SAME SCORE

Uganda’s Said Mawa was second on 142 gross, a stroke away from Zambia’s Madalisto Muthiya who was placed third.

Tied for the fourth position on 144 gross each were South African Joshua Seale, Uganda’s Vincent Byamukama and day one Leader Simon Ngige of Kenya.

“My putting messed me up but this is golf. At times things do not work as planned,” said Ngugi.

Ghana’s Torgah Vincent was fifth tying on the same score with Kenya’s Kopan Timbe and Rwanda’s Erneste Nadyisenga.

Yesterday, the 30 golfers who made the cut were battling on the course for the third round before the third final rounds today.

This is the 74th Edition of the Uganda Open organised by Kampala-based Hill+Knowlton Strategies that has brought together an estimated 100 professionals from the region, and including Nigeria, Ghana, South Africa and Zambia.

It’s a four-day championship that kicked off on Tuesday with Kenya having the largest entry of 36 professionals and Uganda with 30 golfers.

Those who made the cut will be battling for a share of an estimated Sh3.2 million (UG Sh110 million) from Uganda Breweries Ltd who are the main title sponsors under their Tusker Malt brand.

“We lost the trophy last year to Uganda, and having played well at the recent Tanzania Open claiming the first five top slots, we are determined to do the same here in Kampala,” said Charles Wangai, captain of Professional Golfers Association of Kenya.