GOLF: Jamal, Wafula to battle 13 European pros

Kitale's Naomi Wafula makes a swing.[Maarufu Mohamed,Standard]

Nyali’s youthful lady golfer Alyssa Jamal and Kitale’s Naomi Wafula are among Kenyan lady amateurs that will feature in the 2019 Ladies Invitational Golf tour at the Professional Golfers Association’s (PGA) Vipingo Ridge’s Baobab Course in Kilifi from tomorrow.

The two will be playing alongside the 13 visiting Ladies European golf tour professionals (LET) in the two-day 36-hole Pro-Am Ladies Invitational tournament that ends on Saturday.

Other Kenyan Ladies and Men amateurs are also expected to take part.

According to the programme, a draw party for all guests at the Clubhouse Rooftop Terrace will be held tonight while prize giving-cum-lunch will be at the same venue on Saturday.

The 13-year-old handicap 8 Jamal earlier this month surprised veteran lady golfers with numerous years of experience to win the 2018 Nyali Lady Captain’s (Pauline Gachihi) Prize tournament and will be among the Kenya stars to watch at the tournament.

Former Ladies national golf champion Wafula, 20, and last year’s Nyali Bowl Coast Ladies Open champion, is a product of Rose Naliaka’s golf Academy.

Wafula boasts a sterling career despite her tender age and has represented Kenya in several international tournaments. She is also a player to watch.

The Kenyan youths will pair with the LET players who are from the Fatima Mubarak Ladies Open in Abu Dhabi. The pros will proceed to the Australian Ladies Classic Bonville.

The LET golfers will be in their inaugural visit to Kenya and Africa, where they will be joined by more than 36 Kenyan Ladies amateur golfers drawn from several Kenyan clubs.

The professionals will be making a special appearance in the Pro-Am event at the Kenyan coastal course that is ranked Kenya’s number one golf course by top 100 Golf Courses in the world.

The visiting players, who are ranked in the top 100 in the 2018 Order of Merit, includes England’s Florentyna Parker with three professional wins and has represented Europe in the 2017 Solheim Cup in Des Moines, USA.

Others are Spain’s Noemi Jimenez Martin, Welsh Army Boulden, Germany’s Oliver Cowan, England’s Annabel Dimmock and Sweden’s Camilla Lennarth, who earned her first victory in June, 2014 when the Ladies European Tour visited Slovakia.

Vipingo Ridge, in collaboration with U.COM Event, is hosting the tournament to promote Kenya’s golf and its unique golfing destinations in the world.

The Ridge’s General Manager Mike Round Turner said the event is expected to be a fantastic championship that will showcase Kenya as a safe and pleasant destination for international sporting events.

“We look forward to welcoming these incredible young women and all the players involved to Vipingo Ridge,” said Turner.

PGA’s Head of Property and Development Guy Moran said the event promises to be a triumph in helping put Kenya’s golf on the world map especially by promoting ladies golf throughout the country.

“The PGA fully supports such activities and congratulates Vipingo Ridge, U.COM and partners for putting together a world-class Pro-Am at a relatively short notice. We look forward to seeing many more of the same,” said Moran.