Malt climax

By JAMES WAINDI

After nine months of thrilling golf, the Tusker Malt Golf Carnival came to an end with an explosive Grand Finale at the par 71 Muthaiga Golf Club where the team of Kangethe Ndiho and John Ngugi from Limuru Country Club ruled the roost.

The pair, playing off handicaps of 17 and 28 respectively, combined brilliantly in the four-ball better-ball format, to post a joint score of 45 points and claim victory over 150 other finalists.

The pair started their final round conservatively, scoring 20 points on the treacherous opening nine holes of the course.

On the second nine, the pair came alive and took advantage of the cool weather to post a huge 25 points for a total of 45 points.

The feat saw the winning team secure an all expenses paid golf trip to South Africa that will include playing golf at some of the top golf clubs in Gauteng South Africa and professional golf lessons at the Vodacom World of Golf in Sandton.

Amateur golfers

Congratulating the winners, the KBL Marketing Director Caroline Ndungu thanked all the golf clubs that had hosted the Tusker Malt Golf Carnival.

"This season, the Tusker Malt Golf Carnival visited 15 golf clubs across Kenya, from Malindi to Kisumu and from Machakos to Nyeri. The Carnival hosted over 2,900 amateur golfers from 35 golf clubs and on behalf of KBL and the sponsoring brand, Tusker Malt, I would like to thank them all for participating," Ndungu said.

"To the winners, congratulations and I trust that you will be great ambassadors for Tusker Malt and Kenya as you travel to South Africa for what is destined to be an experience of a life-time."

Thanked sponsors

Speaking on behalf of the winning pair, Kangethe thanked the sponsors for a well organised event. "The Tusker Malt team has continued to come up with new and interesting ways for competition and this has kept this championship fresh and popular," said Kangethe.

"We have had a few good breaks on the golf course today and we now look forward to the VIP golf trip that Tusker Malt has prepared for us," he added.

The Muthaiga team of Richard Wanjalla and Edmund Kabera finished second with 43 points, after posting scores of 20 and 23 beating the Karen Country Club team of Jeff Bamford and Bob Oliver to third place on count-back.

The Muthaiga team of Irungu Macharia and Evans Vitisia were the guest winners with the highest score of the day, a massive 46 points made up of 23 points on each nine. Jeremy Ngunze and Josephat Ngile were the guests’ runners up with 43 points.

The first nine was won by the Sigona Golf Club team of Sammy Ndungu and Anthony Wachira on 22 points whilst the second nine was won by the Machakos Golf Club team of Michael Kamala and Dee Kivuva on 23 points.