Kabutha wins Standard Classic golf
Golf
By
Vincent Wang'ombe
| Nov 12, 2018
Every golfer should have a date etched on his or her heart. For Rose Kabutha from Kakamega Golf Club, Saturday November 10, will be the date she will fondly remember as the one that she delivered “The Round”. Her performance at the Nyanza Golf Club was so impressive that her nearest competitor, playing at home, Joseph Atito, was four strokes back. With 42 stableford points, the 34 handicap Kabutha comfortably won the Nyanza leg of the Standard County Golf Classic. Atito, playing off 8 handicap, claimed the “Men Winner” prize.
On a relatively cool day after a downpour the previous day, with balls not running as they typically do on the Nyanza Golf Club fairways, only four golfers managed to return scores that were better than their handicaps. Two were from Kakamega and the other two were at home. In fourth position, was a local girl, handicap 28 Anthonia Akhanama, playing an impressive 21 stableford points on the first nine and losing steam on the second nine to return a score of 16 stableford points for a total of 37 stableford points.
Akhanama claimed the “Lady Winner” Prize. Beating Akhanama on countback, was Heronim Ikhokoro from Kakamega golf club, playing off handicap 20. He started with an unimpressive score on the first nine of 13 stableford points but after an energising halfway snack sponsored by the Standard Group, he went on to produce a remarkable second nine score of 24 stableford points.
On a cool day by Kisumu standards, many golfers found the going tough. The par 70 golf course was not yielding as many birdies and pars as it usually does. The greens were firm and the putting was true on all the greens, thanks to good course maintenance. The Kisat River claimed a few badly-struck balls, to the utter delight of young boys who promptly dove after them.
Two hippos uncharacteristically came out to graze in the morning and in the late afternoon and would be heard granting approvingly at the second green when golfers holed their putts. The fairways were okay and apart from the malodorous water channels across some of the holes, Nyanza Golf Club is in superb shape at this time of the year. It is a wonder that very few golfers were able to play very well.
From the warm shores of Lake Victoria, the final Standard County Golf Classic of the year will be held on the December 8 at the cool Limuru Country Club.
This will bring to a close the 2018 season.