Threefold knot in KCB Golf tour

By James Waindi in Mombasa

Muthaiga’s Nicholas Rokoine tied with Dismas Indiza of Mumias and Zimbabwe’s Faraj Chitengwa at the top of the leader board with level par 71 after the first round of the KCB Golf Tour Grand Finale at the par 71 Nyali Golf and Country Club.

Top South African golfer James Kamte, who plays in the European tour, Asian and Sunshine tour, got a rude shock as he finished the first round tied on seventh position with three over par 74, despite carrying a favourite tag prior to the tee off.

Uganda’s Deo Akope, who won the Arusha leg of the tour, finished fourth on one over par 72, while Vet Lab’s Ali Kimani and Peter Njagi of Kiambu tied in the fifth position on two over par 73.

Tournament director said a best score of level par was poor performance from the field of 48 professionals and said the projected cut today would be ten over, because of the general poor scores.

TOUGH COURSE

"The course is playing very tough and it is evident from today’s performance where the best score was level par. We initially planned to have 20 players making the cut but our projected cut after the second round would be ten over," said tournament director Elisha Kasuku.

Kamte, who featured in the Irish Open last week, lauded the par 71 Nyali course, despite playing a disappointing three over but promised to bounce back in the remaining three rounds.

"This course is great, it is a championship course. I didn’t play well today as most of my balls went to the right, but I know I will recover in the remaining rounds," Kamte said.

SIX OVER PAR

Thika’s Simon Ngige, who currently leads the order of merit, played six over par 77, while last year’s Grand Finale winner Richard Ainley also played six over par 77. Ngine needs a top ten finish at the Grand Finale to win the order of merit prize.

Rokoine sunk a birdie on the par five hole five for a first nine score of 35.

In the second nine, he dropped a shot on the par three hole 10, before picking a birdie on the par three hole 15 and dropped another shot at the par four hole

16. He had mixed results in the last two holes, picking a birdie on the par five hole 17 and dropping a shot on the par three hole 18.

Indiza, playing in the same group with Kamte and Ngige, started the first nine poorly with a bogey, but recovered with three birdies on the par four second hole, par three hole three and par five hole five, before dropping a shot on the par four hole seven for a score of 35 in the first nine.

In the second nine, he dropped three shots and picked two birdies for a score of 36. The winner after the 72-holes will walk home with Sh592, 000.