From cricket to golf: Patel claims maiden win

Golf: Weekend clubs round up results where Patel won Britam prize at Nyali

Former cricketer wins maiden tournament

Ex-batsman is finding his feet on the golf course as well

SPORTS-GOLF-ANAND PATEL; Anand Patel makes a swing.He was the overall winner on 38 points of the 2017 Britam golf tournament played at the Nyali golf and Country club course in Mombasa County on Saturday,06th May,2017.[Maarufu Mohamed,Standard]

Cricketer-turned-golfer Anand Patel plays the gentleman’s game for leisure.

He was among the finest cricket players in the late 1980s, playing alongside such players as Steve Tikolo for Nairobi’s Simba Union team.

But when Patel moved to Mombasa, he found the humid weather challenging to continue playing cricket, so he took up golf.

He joined the Mombasa Golf Club four years ago before switching to Nyali.

He may have not enjoyed instant success but having finished as the runner-up at the hackers United golf in Nyali, he went one better over the weekend by winning the Britam golf tournament played at the par 71 Nyali Golf and Country Club course.

“I’m always on and off the course,” said Patel when giving his maiden winner’s speech on Saturday.

Patel was the overall winner on 38 stable ford points. “The weather and course were excellent and this win will lower my handicap and my game will improve,” he said.

Despite scratching the par four-seventh hole and playing six holes on double bogeys and bogeying nine holes, the handicap 26 Nyali golfer managed to play only two level pars in each nines, but beat a team of 131 golfers in the day-long tournament.

The event brought together golfers from the home club, Mombasa, Leisure, Vipingo, Malindi, and Britam staff.

Handicap 17 club mate Aamin Dhanji claimed the men winner. Nyali's handicap 20 Truphena Oyaro claimed the lady's title on 33 points.