It's time for amateurs to play in Tannahill Shield

Muthaiga Golf Club team celebrate after winning the 97th Edition of the Easter Tannahill Golf Tournament at Royal Nairobi Golf Club. [Jonah Onyango, Standard]

It will be action galore when the 98th edition of the Annual Tannahill Golf tournament begins today to Sunday at the Royal Nairobi Golf Club.

Regarded as one of the most prestigious amateur golf events in sub-Saharan Africa, the tournament will bring together the best amateur players from nine teams from Nairobi, Mombasa, and Western region as they compete for the coveted Tannahill Shield.

The participating clubs this year are hosts RNGC, Mombasa Golf Club, Muthaiga Golf Club, Western Kenya, Limuru Country Club, Kenya Railways Golf Club, Windsor Golf Hotel & Country Club, Sigona Golf Club and Karen Country Club.

"Unlike other golf events, the Tannahill Golf tournament is played by teams instead of individuals of amateur golfers from various clubs who are keen to showcase their golfing skills and team spirit whilst enjoying the company of other competing golfers," said Royal Nairobi's golf captain Peter Mwangi.

"We have been in contact with all participating teams and they are excited and training hard," the captain added.

Muthaiga Golf Club have won the past two editions. There will be two curtain raiser tournaments before the main event over the Easter weekend. First, there will be a Junior Tannahill tournament where youngsters from Vetlab Sports Club will seek to defend the title they won last year.

The Junior tournament will be held over two days, today and tomorro. Vetlab beat the Royal juniors by three shots which led to a very closely contested finish last season.

The Senior Tannahill tournament will also be held for the second time at the venue. The senior Tannahill is open to golfers over the age of 55 years.

The senior tournament will be held on Friday morning. Seniors from Muthaiga Golf Club will try to defend the title they won last year. Muthaiga pipped the hosts RNGC to the title, with Kenya Railways Golf Club finishing third.

The Tannahill tournament is the brainchild of Major Arthur Tannahill and was inaugurated in 1924 as an annual event when the general committee of the then Nairobi Golf Club invited teams representing Mombasa, Nyeri, Kiambu, Nakuru and Muthaiga to participate in the tournament.

Every club plays one match against the other clubs, with each side having eight players.