Kimundi floors rivals to bag Mombasa Club chairman’s prize

Golfer Ken Kimundi in action. [Maarufu Mohamed, Standard]

Thirty-four-year-old Ken Kimundi stunned veteran golfers after he was crowned winner of the  Mombasa Golf Club chairman’s (Ken Mwangi) prize tournament, on Saturday.

The youthful player from Mtongwe Kenya Navy base in Mombasa, only needed a rare Eagle shot  for a compact score of 38 stableford points.

Playing off handicap 28, Kimundu’s win came sinking the rare shot on the par five-15th hole with  additional three pars against a mixed bag of bogey shots in the rest of both nines to claim the top position and register his second major win.

He won the Club’s Lady Captain’s (Gladys Kasi) prize golf tournament played two weeks ago.

“I don’t have much to say, but I am quite excited. I would like to thank the club for giving me an opportunity to play golf. Today was my day, although the course was tough,” said Kimundu.

The day-long 18-hole stableford tournament to bid fare well to the outgoing chairman Ken Mwangi, who has served the club for two years, attracted 120 golfers from the home club, Nyali, Leisure, Vipingo, Malindi, among others.

The tournament was jointly sponsored by Equity Bank, Deansbrook Kindergarten Bamburi, Tichi Villas Diani Beach, Plaza Beach Hotel, Kericho Gold, Pick &Chill Pizzeria, Dankz, Tea Brokers East Africa and Friends of the chairman.

Clifford Tolo, on 36 points, was the Men winner, while George Mokaya was the runner-up on a countback score of 35 points after tying on points with third-placed Victor Simbi.

Fiona Mbandi carded 37 points to emerge the lady winner and the club’s Lady captain Gladys Kasi was the runner-up on 34 points.

The best senior prize was claimed by Major General Rob, who had 27 points, while Martin Wahome, with a score of 30 points, was the best past chairman.

School boy Mwai Mariga brought 37 points to emerge the best junior, six points ahead of Qays Mughal, who was the runner-up.

Nyali’s immediate lady captain Mary Kandu won the best guest prize on 36 points.

The club’s outgoing chairman Ken Mwangi thanked sponsors and golfers for making the tournament a success.

“It has been tough two years following the Covid-19 pandemic, but through your support, the club’s membership increased in growth while the biggest achievement will soon to be the launch of the water irrigation project that will keep the course green for long,” said Mwangi.

At the Machakos Golf Club, handicap 31 Daniel Salaton carded a two-way countback score of 40 points to emerge the men winner of the Tourism Fund Corporate tournament.