Nandi bears triumph

By Feverpitch Reporter

The Nandi Bears team of Khayeka Roberts, John Anyonyi, James Siayi and Abraham Maichi are the champions of the Tusker Malt Golf Carnival 2009/2010.

With this victory, the team won an all expenses paid golf trip to South Africa next month where they will play on some of the top golf courses in the Johannesburg area including the famous Legend Golf & Safari Resort in the Limpopo Province.

Playing in the morning at the Muthaiga Golf Club, the all-single-handicap team, posted a team total of 105 stableford points early, a score that proved unassailable by the other 41 teams from around Kenya and Rwanda.

Roberts, playing off a handicap of two was first off the blocks, returning a commendable 35 points that included an eagle-three at the par-five 18th. Anyonyi, a handicap four golfer anchored the team with a strong four-over par gross score for 36 points while handicap nine golfer, Maichi contributed 34 points to bring the team total to 105 points.

The tall and lurky Siayi had a good opening nine holes, managing 15 points on the closing nine holes. He struggled with his short game and he could only score 12 points for a total of 27 points, making him the weakest link for the victorious team.

Nandi Bears winners (from left): Khayeka Roberts, John Anyonyi, James Siayi and Abraham Maichi with their dummy tickets for South Africa trip after winning the Tusker Malt Golf Carnival at Muthaiga last weekend. [PHOTO: COURTESY]

Speaking at the prize giving ceremony, a jubilant Siayi thanked God for the victory, saying their morning prayers had been answered.

"Before our round, we said our prayers and we then set off to tackle the difficult Muthaiga course," Siayi said. "It was tough, but we thank God for the victory and to have represented Nandi Bears well," he said

Congratulating the team, EABL’s Marketing Director, Debra Mallowah, said the team had done well to win.

"This team has been consistently good since we started the Carnival. They won the qualification round in Eldoret and they won the Rift Valley Regional Finale in Nakuru," Mallowah said. "It is no wonder they have won here today. We wish them well as they head to South Africa and we have no doubt they will be great ambassadors for Kenyan golf," she said.

Maichi and Anyonyi are brothers of one of Kenya’s top professionals, Dismas Indiza while Roberts is a top amateur and a regular on the Golfer of the Year series.

The Railway team of Caleb Kositany, Sam Onyambu, Joseph Mburu Muigai and John Kaniaru finished a close second, two points behind the Nandi Bears team.

Kaniaru was the team’s anchor with 35 points, Muigai and Onyambu posted 34 points each while Kositany was the weakest link with a good score of 31 points.

Kositany said it was a bitter loss. "It is at times like this that you remember that one putt, that one chip that you missed, that denied you an extra point," Kositany said.

"But I would like to congratulate the winners. They are good golfers and we wish them well," he said.

The Thika team of Patrick Karanja, Dr Joseph Karanja, Sam Mwangi and Joe Kigwe finished in third place with 101 points.

Mwangi posted the best score of the day — 39 points, Dr Karanja could only manage 32 points and Kigwe 30 points. Patrick Karanja was not in his element, and a poor 27 points earned him the weakest link title.