For Mariga, victory did not come easy: Mary claims Madaraka trophy at the Sea Link course

SPORTS-GOLF-MARY MARIGA; Mary Mariga makes a swing. She was the overall winner on 36 points of the 2017 Madaraka golf event played at Mombasa golf Club on Thursday,01st June,2017.[Maarufu Mohamed,Standard]

Handicap 24 overcomes odds to conquer in Mombasa as Betty Mutua wins silver in Thika.

For the past three years, Mary Mariga has been studying the sea link par 71 Mombasa Golf Club course.

Coast lady golf veterans, including Florence Karimi, Joyce Masai, and Alice Wahome, were of great help, giving her useful tips.

It has not been a walk in the park, though, as she has had to overcome many odds at the challenging course. But the fruits of her labour are slowly emerging. She has claimed a few trophies and was this year elected the club's Lady Captain.

Now in a class of her own and with a stable handicap of 24, Mariga proved she is no longer a rookie when she won the 2017 Madaraka trophy with 36 stableford points to emerge the overall winner at the weekend during the one-day 18-hole stableford tournament.

“I have been winning, but this is my biggest trophy as we celebrate the big day,” said Mariga.

She started off on high note, playing a level par at the par four-first hole before adding three more pars at the par four-fourth, the par four-ninth, and the par three-12th holes.

Club mate handicap 11 G.M. Njiri was the runner-up on a count back score of 35 points after tying on the same points with Eric Nyongesa, who was third.

At the par 72 Thika Sports Course, home club's handicap 16 Betty Mutua posted 74 nett to win the silver medal in the ladies event.