Eldoret Club captain Mwangi excited ahead of Standard Golf Classic

Paul Mwangi in action during Kenya Ports Authority Golf tournament at Eldoret Golf Club in Uasin Gishu County on Saturday. July 23, 2023. [Peter Ochieng, Standard]

Eldoret Club captain Paul Mwangi is among the excited golfers looking forward to taking part in the Standard County Golf Classic Series on Saturday at the par 71 Eldoret Club.

The handicap 10 player is working on his tee-shots and drives ahead of the tournament. He believes his recent second place finish in the Club Nite held on the course will be a great morale booster in the competition.

The skipper is already elated with the number of players from within and far who are sharpening their skills at the golf course to prepare for the contest.

“I’m looking forward to a good round of golf in this event, if not to win it. As home players, we expect a stiff battle from over 120 golfers drawn from Nairobi, Kitale, Nandi, Kericho, Kisumu and Kakamega.

“I want to tell the visitors that they are highly welcomed at our club. They should prepare to enjoy the course that is in good shape after the recent rains that has left it lush. The fairways are very green and exciting to play on,” he said.

The captain has warned the visiting players to be wary of the meandering river passing across the course, traversing six fairways.

“The river is one of the barriers that always interferes with the shots taken. It requires very steady hands to maneuver it. Holes affected by the river are the par-4/14 and the par-3/5.

According to the 47-year-old hard-hitter, the Standard County Golf Classic Series will help to market Eldoret as a city of choice in terms of sports and tourism.

“Revenues are already trickling in many sectors, from hotel to transport, as a result of the many visitors arriving to grace the tournament,” he said.

Mwangi has hailed the greening initiative advocated by the championship being held under the theme ‘On the Green Course, for the Green Cause’.

“The government launched a campaign to plant 15 billion trees in ten years from 2022 in a bid to reach 30 per cent tree cover in Kenya. This competition is in line with the initiative. As Eldoret Club, we are happy to support the tournament and the Government's movement that aims at reducing greenhouse emissions, stopping, and reversing deforestation.  

“This year alone we, as Eldoret Club, have already planted 5000 trees. This was done during the KenGen golf tournament held recently in our club,” Mwangi said.