Nigerian Gift teams up with Kenyan Amateurs to grab the Pro-am Title at Limuru
Golf
By
Maarufu Mohamed
| Jan 15, 2024
Nigerian Professional Willy Gift led a team of Kenyan Amateurs P.Kihanya, J.N.Kihanya and J.Kihanya to grab the overall lead in the Pro-Am golf tournament played at the Limuru Country Club, in Kiambu County on Saturday during the opening for the ongoing fourth Leg of the Safari Tour.
Gift's team brought a combined score of 88 points to emerge the overall team winner and walked home with a total of Ksh.30, 000 as prize money.
Kenya's Professional Robinson Owiti managed his team of L.Maina, Wanjohi Jotham and J.Chege to claim the runners up slot on a combined count back score of 86 points where they got Ksh.20, 000.
The team tied with third placed team of Kenyan Professional Simon Ngige and his Amateures group of W.Wanjui,P.Mungai and F.Mwaura and collected Ksh.10,000.
The Individual overall winner was handicap 14 Nicholas Gathuru who carded 41 points while handicap 45 Luke Oduor on account back score of 39 points won the Men winner slot after tying on the same score with handicap 11 Peter Mungai who was the Men runners up.
Margaret Wairimu playing off handicap 20 won the Lady's title on 39 points and handicap 18 claimed the runners up slot with 35 points.
Taking the junior prize was handicap 23 Mumbi Gitau on 35 points and B.Onyancha was the luckiest golfer registering a rare hole in one at hole 16th.
The main event teed off yesterday on Sunday featuring 63 professionals and 3 Amateurs till Wednesday,17th, January for four days battling for a slice of the impressive one million Kenyan Shillings which is up for grabs where the champion will walk away with a substantial prize of 150,000 Kenyan Shillings.
This Safari tour is a prestigious event that also gives amateurs a unique opportunity to play alongside professionals.
It promises an intense competition among the professionals and the amateurs drawn from Nigeria, Rwanda, Malawi, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Uganda, Tanzania, and the host country, Kenya.
They are all Lady Professional Irene Nakalembe from Uganda is the only professional lady drawn for the event.
Kenya's Professional Dismas Indiza is currently the leader of the series with an impressive 163 points, closely followed by Colleague Samuel Njoroge at 135 points while in the non-Kenyan category, Abraham Ainamani is dominating with a solid 80 points.
And as Golf season returns slowly, elsewhere at Nyali Golf and Country Club Course in Mombasa County in the same day, Youthful handicap 2 Andrew Wahome returned and excellent two over par 73 gross to emerge the Best gross winner in the January Mug golf tournament that attracted 130 golfers.
The Club's former Lady Captain Susan Stokes playing off handicap 10 was the Best gross winner on 83 gross in the Ladies Medal.
OTHER SELECTED RESULTS;
NYALI GOLF AND COUNTRY CLUB;
January Mug Division A winner-Gurbux Singh (4)-70nett,Runners up-Martin Ombura (9)-71nett C/B,Third-Andrew Wahome (2)-71nett,Division B winner-Aydan Jamal (16)-70nett,Runners up-Shah Saj (18)-73nett C/B,Third-Sanjeev Khagram (18)-73nett,Division C winner-Brandon Oyaro (22)-62nett,
Runners up-Suresh Hirani (22)-70nett,Third-John Middleton (21)-71nett C/B,Division D winner-Anders Malar (31)-66nett,Runners up-Eng. Willis Ingari (31)-69nett,Best male caddy-Kalamu Choyo (5)-78nett,Ladies Medal Division A winner-Florence Karimi (20)-71nett,Runners up-Susan Stokes (10)-73nett C/B,Third-Truphena Oyaro (16)-73nett,Division B winner-Joyce Kamau (24)-71nett C/B,Runners up-Alice Wahome (25)-71nett C/B,Third-Hellen Wanjiru (27)-71nett,Division C winner-Natallia Herter (46)-71nett,Best Putter-Alice Wahome-29 Putts C/B.
Mug of Mugs winner-Gurbux Singh (4)-70 Nett C/B,Runners up-Aydan Jamal (16)-70nett C/B.Third-Suresh Hirani (22)-70nett,Winners Medal winner-Florence Karimi (20)-71nett C/B,Runners up-Joyce Kamau (24)-71nett C/B,third-Alice Wahome (25)-71nett C/B.
VETLAB SPORTS CLUB;
Sungura Finals.
Henry Kamuti Won 3/2 Against Eric Wakarima,Sungura Round One Qualifying winner-Man Winner- David Evans (6)-70nett,Runners up-Epimach Maritim (13)-72nett,Lady winner-Caroline Muguku (34)-71nett,Final and Subsidiary Man winner-George-Wakaba (13)-40points,Runners up-Francis Mugo (17)-39points,Lady winner-Dorcus Mukabi (20)-36points.