Kandie wins Eldoret Chairman's Putter

Nelson Orgut in action at Eldoret Club, on Saturday. [Mose Sammy, Standard]

Handicap 25, Felix Kandie is the Eldoret Club Chairman (Nelson Orgut) putter 2023 prize overall winner after returning a solid score of 42 stableford points over the weekend.

The tournament was presented by Kenya Pipeline Company, Safaricom Limited, Kenya Wine Agencies Limited, Oak Tree, Jambo Telecom, Storyboard and Eldoret Club, where 122 golfers competed for the coveted prize.

On his outward nine, Kandie inked two pars, six bogeys and a lone triple-bogey for a total of 21 stableford points. After the turn, he bagged a birdie, two pars, three double-bogeys and one triple-bogey for an additional 21 stableford points to seal his victory.

Away at the nine hole Kakamega Sports Club course, home golfer Cedric Konzolo, carded 78 Gross to claim NCBA Golf series tournament overall title over the weekend.

Konzolo, playing off handicap 5, was in top form having been practicing for the series for the past month and couldn’t hide his joy as he received his prize.

A caddy at the club, Konzolo attributed his performance to great shots off the deck coupled with an excellent short game that saw him hit the greens on regulation and convert three birdies, four pars, one bogey and two double-bogeys on the front nine for 36 Gross.

On his back nine, he picked a birdie on the 10th hole, bogeyed the 11th, dropped two shots on the 12th hole and carded successive bogeys on the 13th, 14th and 15th holes with a par on the 16th. He then bogeyed the 17th and parred the 18th to wind up with 42 Gross and a winning score of 78 Gross.

Konzolo now shifts his focus to Gold Fields Trophy, a Kenya Golf Union (KGU) event, which will be held on the same course, next month.

“It’s a great honour to claim this win and I thank the sponsor NCBA and Julius Oketch, who has supported my game. I’m so glad for this win,” Konzolo said.

Chasing Konzolo was handicap 11, Victor Muhando with 80 Gross, while Lydia Oketch, playing off handicap 20, won the Lady winner prize with 91 Gross.

Handicap 11, Beatrice Shikuku took the Lady Gross winner second prize with 94 Gross.

There was a lean field of 58 golfers, with most shying away from participating in the gross score event, which seemed to favour low handicappers.

Newly reconstructed deeper bunkers presented golfers with tough times as most who landed there, had difficulty emerging from the same.

KGU Western Region Representative, Julius Oketch was Men Gross winner with 80 Gross after losing to Muhando on countback.