Kenya Drop to second place: Home girls surrender overnight lead but Ainley maintains consistency in African golf contest

Josephine Ainley of Kenya follows her tee during the All Africa Challenge Trophy at Muthaiga Golf Club yesterday. [JONAH ONYANGO/STANDARD]

Kenya’s ladies golf team surrendered their one point overnight lead to defending champions and leaders South Africa in the All Africa Challenge Trophy (AACT) at Muthaiga Golf Club.

The hosts trail South Africa by eight points after scoring 302 gross against the leaders’ 294 at the end of the second round of the competition yesterday.

Tanzania are placed third on 306 gross followed by Zambia (315), Zimbabwe (321), Uganda (326), Egypt (334), Botswana (344), Nigeria (357) and Cameroon (371).

Kenya’s score was a combination of Josephine Ainley’s 76 (39, 37) and Christina Angell Andersen’s 81 (44, 37) during the tournament at the par 71 golf course.

Naomi Wafula who played well in round one with 73 (two over par), managed 84 (13 over par) in second round.

Fight back

Ainley said: “It was just a bad day for me because everything didn’t work well. I promise to fight back in the final round to ensure Kenya finish at the top.”

Ainley who is now placed second in the leader board on 146 (6 over bar) captained the team to the AACT 2008, and was twice the National Strokeplay and Matchplay champion as well as Golfer-of-the Year.

She was a member of the Southern University, Louisiana Collegiate Golf team from 2002 to 2006 in the USA where she is now based.

Wafula admitted that her putts and drives were not moving straight on the course.

“My swings were not perfect today but I hope to play better tomorrow,” said Wafula.

Wafula said that although she may recover and score better results in the final round, her junior’s title she won in Botswana two years ago was under real threat from South African Cara Gorlie who scored 75 (four over par) in round two.

The 18-year-old Gorlie still top the leader board on 145 (70, 75), that is three over par.

Gloomy weather

Gorlie said: “The gloomy weather did not affect my game but I messed up in two holes and that cost me scores.”

Despite contributing for Kenya the second best score, Andersen dropped to position 10 in leader board with 186 points (77 and 81).

The Kenyans now go into the game that matters –– the final round with hope of returning better scores and finish in a top three position.

Seventeen countries are represented in the biennial ladies golf tournament with a total of 48 players contesting for this year’s trophy.

The tournament was first played for in 1992 in Zimbabwe.

Using Eishenhower scoring, the best two scores per round count towards the daily team score in the 54-hole strokeplay format.

South Africa has dominated over the years - with the exception of 2006 when the team trophy was awarded to Egypt.