Ng’ang’a tops in Limuru as youngster Kega rules the roost at Nanyuki Golf Club

WHAT A MISS! Handicap 20 Mburu Kariuki reacts after missing a putt during the CIC Insurance Golf tournament at the Limuru Country Club on Saturday. [PhotoS:JONAH ONYANGO/STANDARD]

Peter Ng’ang’a posted 44 stableford points to emerge the overall winner of the CIC Insurance Golf Tournament  at the Limuru Country Club on Saturday.

Ng’ang’a posted 19 points in the front nine and a further 25 on the back nine to lift the contest title on count back.

“Today is memorable, this is my first win since I started playing golf three years ago. It is great in that I won in the day that the club opened its extended golf course,” said Ng’ang’a, who beat over 200 participants for the title.

“The greens were inviting and the trick is that today I decided to play an easy game away from my aggressive nature on the fairways,” said Ng’ang’a.

The win saw Ng’ang’a, who is a member of Limuru Country Club,  drop his handicap from 24 to 20.

“I am now inspired. I will continue with my weekend golf practices to slash my new handicap to ten since I have gained a psychological advantage from lowering my handicap today,”  Ng’ang’a   told  FeverPitch.

Ng’ang’a  said he was grateful to his friend Eric Kimuria who introduced him to the game which he said has  helped him cement worthy friendship and keep fit.

Ng’ang’a was closely followed by handicap 21 Robert Gitau who posted 44 points but lost on count back.

Ladies winner was handicap 13 Noni Muhire who scored a total of 37 points. Handicap 20 Brian Njoroge won the junior category with 31 points, while staff category was won by handicap 24 Robert Murigi on 26 points.

CIC Insurance Managing Director Kenneth Kimani said: “This tournament has given us a good platform to meet and interact with most of our clients.” 

 At the nine-hole Nanyuki Golf Club,  amateur Golfer Kanini Kega fired a total of 75 gross to win the Jimmy @ 50/Chairman’s Cup over the weekend.

The handicap 14 golfer carded 37 strokes on the inward nine and a further 38 on the outward nine on the third day of the tourney to edge overnight leader Phipps Cater on count back, to the trophy.

“I played really well, I haven’t played like that lately,” Kanini who is also the Parliamentary Golf Captain, said.

Hit every fairway

 “I drove the ball well. I hit every fairway and I can’t really fault anything today, for me it was great weekend, after winning a tournament of this stature which is very unlike me.”

After fumbling with his play on the second day, he got back his form on the third days first picking up four birdies and a bogey in his outward nine, Kanini took the lead in style, sinking a 45-foot putt on the par-four sixth, his 7th hole, giving him every chance of clinching his first Major win.

Engineer Kinoti of Nanyuki Golf Club carded 40 points to win the first round against Nyeri Golf Club’s Steve Kariuki.

Kinoti, playing off handicap, was keen to make amends after playing into the woods at the fifth hole on the second nine, but fate had its way.

Nyeri Golf Club Baldev Singh, who posted 146 gross, took the Gross prize after Major General Waweru of Nanyuki Golf Club posted 162 gross.

Richard Kabugi Manji of Nanyuki Golf Club was the  longest drive winner  as the Ladies medal went to Lucy Njuguna who posted 72 nett against first runners up Mercy Mburu with 61 nett. The Ladies prize went to Gathigia Gatere, who carded 31 points.

Nyali Golf Clubs Pro Kopan Timbe, won the Sh80,000 prize money under the pro category, after returning 10 under par (68, 66).