By BEN AHENDA and PHILIP ORWA
Nakuru’s Patrick Mwai posted 40 stable ford points to win the inaugural Kenya National Trade network Agency (Kentrade) Golf Championships at Nakuru Golf Club at the weekend.
Mwai praised his team mates whom he said inspired him to victory when he struggled with accurate shots from different holes in the course.
“It was a wonderful team although I was lucky to beat them but I would defend the title next year,” he said.
Handicap six Sarat Singh was second on 38 points after hitting 21 in the first nine and another 17 in back nine.
Njoro’s Joseph Chege scored 37 stable ford points (18,19) on count back to come out third.
Njoro Golf Club Captain Patrick Minjire was fourth, also on 37 points.
The handicap 13 Minjire beat handicap six, Moses Kiragu and handicap eight Krishna Sarna on countback after tying on the same points.
Former Nakuru Golf Club lady captain Esther Karuga won the Lady title with 35 stable ford points.
Kentrade Chief Executive Officer Alex Kabuga was the guest winner with a score of 30 stable ford points.
first nine winner
Nakuru’s Isaac Ng’ethe was the first nine winner on 21 stable ford points with the second nine title going to D Sharna after hitting 21 stable ford points.
Meanwhile, Kakamega golfer Mildred Natecho posted 70 nett to win the Mumias Golf Club-sponsored Khetias Supermarket & Mumias Distributors Golf Day.
The handicap 15 golfer beat a field of 56 golfers to emerge the overall winner in a tournament that was dominated by Kakamega golfers who took the top five positions.
happiest lady
“I’m happy with this win. Winning a golf tournament in a foreign club and beating its members is always every golfer’s dream and today I’m the happiest lady after emerging the winner,” said Natecho.
“I thank the golfers that turned up, the sponsors Khetias Supermarket and Mumias Sugar for sponsoring the tournament,” she added.
Ambrose Maichi from Nandi Bears, playing off handicap nine, came second after amassing 71 nett in the event that attracted golfers from Kisii, Kisumu, Nandi Bears, Kakamega and Mumias golf clubs.
Kakamega’s Julius Oketch, playing off handicap 12, scored 72 nett for the third overall position. H Litali, playing off handicap seven, posted total of 73 nett to finish third.
Fifth overall was Nandi Bears’ handicap four J Anyonyi who scored 74 nett points, beating Hezron Wafula from the host club on countback.
Elsewhere, Vijay Singh has been cleared of doping by the PGA Tour despite admitting that he used a spray containing elements of a banned substance.
Although he never failed a drugs test, Singh was deemed to have breached golf’s rules on doping when he told Sports Illustrated earlier this year he had used deer antler spray.
The spray was found to have contained small extracts of IGF-1, a growth hormone on the World Anti-Doping Agency’s list of prohibited substances.
The PGA Tour imposed a sanction on Singh following his admission but the Fijian appealed. —Additional reports by Reuters
