Calmness does it for Popat: Aniz dodges monkeys at course to win Johnnie Walker title in Nyali
Golf
By
MAARUFU MOHAMED
| May 29, 2017
Golfer holds his nerves to bag trophy as Njoroge conquers in Kiambu.
The Nyali Golf and Country Club course is surrounded by flame trees and fairways, but occasionally, troops of vervet monkeys crisscross the playing field, taking off a golfer's concentration.
But it was not so with home golfer Aniz Popat. He kept his cool.
His focus was sharp and his strokes almost perfect at the weekend as he won the 2017 Johnnie Walker May 2017 prize mug.
It is a challenging 18-hole course, no doubt, with tough and numerous doglegs that can provide a multitude of individual challenges to any seasoned golfer.
The club, which has a rich tradition and hosts top golf competitions, is regarded as "home of golf” in Mombasa.
For Popat, he has spent close to two decades playing at the course and understands it quite well, hence his exemplary win with an excellent 72 nett in the Division One category.
The handicap 12 Popat played mixed shots in both nines due to bad puttings.
Although he double bogeyed two holes on the par five-11th and par four-12th holes, he bogeyed nine holes and rolled seven level pars in both nines to land the victory.
“Putting was tough, but golf is a pass-time where i meet friends,” said Popat.
Club mates handicap 18 Paul Maiyo, on 70 nett, and handicap 23 Peter Bernard, on the same score, were Division Two and Three winners.
In the Ladies Medal, the club’s Lady Captain Joyce Masai, playing off handicap 11, maintained her winning ways as she carded 71 nett for victory.
Sigona’s handicap 28 Hildah Mugure, who had the same score, was the Division Two winner.
At the Kiambu course, handicap 12 Fredrick Njoroge posted 38 points to emerge the overall winner of the 2017 Commercial Bank of Africa event.
Jonathan Kinuthia, playing off handicap 11, was the Men winner on a countback score of 37 points after tying on the same points handicap 9 David Ndirangu, who was second.
Handicap 7 Jane Njoroge was the Lady winner on 35 points, while handicap 31 Nancy Kariuki, on 40 points, was the Guest winner.
Meanwhile, handicap 11 Peter Kiguru, who had 32 points, was the Staff prize champion.