Balala wins Kabete Open hattrick

Adel Balala savored sweet revenge of his nemesis, Michael Karanga in a scintillating playoff to win a hat trick on the final day of the 12th edition of Kabete Open.

Chilly and misty weather conditions forced the organizers, Kenya Golf Union (KGU), to differ the starting time by one and a half hours at the long-playing Vet Lab Sports Club layout on Sunday. 

Eventually, the East and Central Africa challenge got underway at 10:39 am pitting Kenya's Adel Balala of Vipingo, Uganda's Joseph Cwinyaai of Uganda Golf Club and Rwanda's Felix Dusabe of Kigali Golf Club in the last flight. 

The three-day championship meet saw 132 elite amateurs square it out for a share of points towards the Kenya Amateur Golf Championship (KAGC) rankings. 

Among them was a solid pack of 50 juniors and lady golfers who displayed skill and tact with a promising future. Only 32 made the cut set at 14-over as they blamed the brutal weather for their tribulations.

They teed off the back tee of the par-four first hole with a mature Jacaranda and Croton trees denying the elite amateurs a clear shot onto the tight fairway. 

Matters were made worse as most couldn't draw past the screening trees.

Balala was off the deck as the tournament's favorite seeking his third Kabete Open title, having won back-to-back in 2021 and 2022. 
With seven starts and finished fourth on the KAGC rankings for the 2023 season.

As his coach, Professional Golfers Association (PGA) certified Professional Saleem Haji closely watched him from among the legion of fans walking alongside them including his father and wife.

He didn't participate in the event in 2023 due to personal and work-related reasons.

The 2023 (KAGC), Michael Karanga of Kiambu Golf Club won the event last year.

From the onset of the front nine, it was a mixed pot of scores for the trio but Balala had an edge of the pack having started the day at 
4-under(70,70) 140, Cwinyaai two-under (69,73) and Dusabe winding his at one-over (73+74) 147 after Round - 2.

In the final round, Balala cruised past the halfway banda 2- over 38, Cwinyaai at four-over 40 and Dusabe at five-over 41.

Balala the 2022 strokeplay champion lost his feel on the putter from the par-three 11th hole and struggled with it through the remaining holes which saw him drop shots to finish at six-over to force the play-off with Karanga.

Who had crashed Balala out of the Kenya Amateur Matchplay Championship quarter-finals 3/2 at Windsor Golf Hotel and Country Club course a fortnight ago.

The play-off was set on the par-four first, par-four 17th and par-four 18th holes which saw Karanga take the first, Balala the second and squared the third.

The tension was palpable between the two with every stroke as they headed back to the 18th tee box where they both saved par for a fifth-hole duel.

Balala was first off connecting his 4-iron 50 yards short of the green while Karanga blasted his driver right of the fairway with no clear shot at the pin but he dialed it in for an up-down putt.

In the end, Balala was irresistible as he bumped and ran his pitch shot an uphill putt and with the help of his caddy, Moses Timbe, they took time to read the line and with a firm putt he trickled the winning putt as Karanga overborrowed his line and missed to present the win to Balala.

The playoff was intense, with Balala ultimately emerging as the victor, expressing gratitude to his caddy, Moses Timbe, for his crucial role in securing the win.

"I'm over the moon with this win and greatly indebted to my caddy Moses Timbe who has played a cardinal role in the three days that have borne this win," Balala said.

Earning 76 points from the meet, he wound up with 200.5 points towards the KAGC ranking and an additional 47.6 points for his home club, Nyali Golf and Country Club.

"Adel had the final laugh but he should be worried about that I started 9 shots behind him and ended up in the playoff with him," Karanga said. "The course was very unfair from the tee box to the pin positions."

Karanga didn't hold back when sharing about the challenges they encountered on the final day of the course.

"I've played in several international amateur championship tournaments and I have never seen us tee off on the back tees which are reserved for pros!"