Charania wins Windsor leg of Safari Tour

Riz Charania poses with the Safari Tour Golf Series trophy yesterday. [Standard Sports]

Windsor Golf Hotel and Country Club’s Rizwan Charania returned a 1-under par 71 score on the final round of the Windsor Golf Hotel and Country Club leg of the Safari Tour Golf series to win the tournament with a total score of 3-under par 218.

On the first nine, he dropped shots on the par-3, fourth before quickly following it up with a birdie on the par-5, fifth. He then dropped a shot on the par-4, seventh to take his total for the first nine to 37; having held par on the rest of the holes.

On the back nine, he started off with a birdie on the par-4, 10th before holing a bogey on the par-5, 12th. He quickly remedied the situation with consecutive birdies on the par-3 13th and the par-4, 14th to finish the back nine with a total of 34; having held par on the rest of the holes.

Riz said:  “I’m delighted with this win as it is a result of the hard work I have put into this leg of the Safari Tour golf series. It boosts my confidence going to 2019 Magical Kenya Open.”

This becomes the first Safari Tour win by Riz Charania, leaving him in a buoyant mood ahead of the Magical Kenya Open Golf Championship. For his achievement, Riz took home Sh450,000 in prize money.

Mumias Sugar’s Dismas Indiza returned a similar score for the round (1-under par 71) for a total tournament score of 1-under par 287 to finish second in the tournament and taking home Sh300,000.

On the first nine, he started off with a bogey on the par-4, first before following it up with a birdie on the par-4, second. He dropped a shot on the par-5, third, but managed a birdie on the par-5, fifth for the total of 36 on the back nine; having held par on the rest of the holes.

On the back nine, he hit it off with a birdie at the par-4, 10th but dropped shots on the par-5, 12th and the par-4, 14th. He followed it up with consecutive birdies on the par-5, 15th and the par-4, 16th for a total of 35 having held par on the rest of the holes.

Meanwhile, Muthaiga Golf Club’s, Greg Snow, who has been in fine form in previous Safari Tour tournaments, found the Windsor course tricky on the final round, to return a 1-over par 73 score; taking his total for the tournament to 3-over par 291 which was enough to secure third place at the tournament.

On the first nine, he played bogey-free while holing three birdies on the par-3, fourth, par-3, eighth and the par-4, ninth. It is on the back nine that he found it tough, dropping five shots and picking up only one birdie for a back nine total of 40. For his efforts, Greg took home Sh180,000.

His third-place finish at the Windsor leg of the Safari Tour Golf series saw him finish top of the Road to Kenya Open ranking with 113.5 points ahead of Dismas Indiza in second place with 111 points.

Meanwhile, Vet Lab’s Edwin Mudanyi emerged top elite amateur, taking home the tournament’s Silver Salver.