Njoro's youthful Nyanchama grabs early lead in Ladies Coast Open

KLGU Chairman Jane Nzibo Babsa (middle), flanked by the Malindi Golf and Country Club Lady Captain Hamida Chidagaya (left) presents the Overall gross prize to the winner Mercy Nyanchama (right) of Njoro Club at Malindi on Monday. [Maarufu Mohamed, Standard]

Youthful Mercy Nyanchama kicked off the 2024 Coast Ladies Open tourney on a high note after grabbing the Overall gross lead at the opening of the Ladies Coast Open Golf Tournament played at the Seaside nine-hole par 70 Malindi Golf and Country Club Course in Kilifi County on Monday.

Nyanchama, the Njoro Golf and Country Club Lady Golfer playing off handicap 1 stamped her authority over the visiting finest East African Lady Golfers after carding the day’s best score of an eight over par 78 gross to emerge the Overall gross winner, adding another feather to her basket after her recent overall titles in the Nanyuki Ladies open and the Ruiru’s Ladies Open.

“I had a good time on the course which has really improved, a lot of thanks to the green keeper and the Club team. How I played was simple.aAll my shots were landing on the spot, no pressure and I thank all the stakeholders for organizing such a successful tournament,” Said Nyanchama.

This year’s tourney with 120 finest Lady Golfers from the East African region at the iconic 18-hole course and the first of the first of the ongoing lady’s series being staged in all the Coast Golf Clubs was supported by New KCC, Bandari Sacco, Protea Immobiliare Ltd, Equity Bank, Absa Ltd and Friends of the Club Lady Captain Hamida Chidagaya.

It is also one of the ongoing legs in the ongoing Kenya Ladies Golf Union (KLGU) Calendar of events organized under the umbrella of the Kenya Ladies Golf Union (KLGU) with the support of the Union’s KLGU Coast representative Teresia Odoo.

Limuru Golf and Country Club’s Mwongeli Nzioka playing off handicap 11 was the Division A Gross winner on 82gross while handicap 4 Margaret Njoki of Golf Park with a count back score of 83 gross was the runners up displasing handicap 13 Faith Mburu of Eldoret to the third place after both tied.

The B Gross winner was handicap Mary Awinja from Kakamega Golf Club with 89gross as Zipporah Gitonga on 90gross and Ruth Koor with 91 gross were the runners up and third placed respectively.

Handicap 18 Rosemary Obara from Nyanza Golf Club brought 69 nett to emerge the Division A nett winner over handicap 6 Lydia Mokaya who had 74 nett to claim the runners up spot and taking the third slot with 77 nett was handicap 17 Jane Koech from Eldoret Golf Club.

The Division B nett winner on 70 nett was Beatrice Bisonga while Jediah Andayi with 71 nett and Orpha Wamaitha on 72 nett won the runners up and third spots respectively.

Club Captain Hamida Chidagaya praised the entire Club team, Players and the Sponsors for making the tourney successful saying without any of them it would not have been impossible and promised that the course will continue to maintain its excellent condition to make such events bigger going forward.

 “It was yet another memorable experience and I hope every player enjoyed the course with the cool breeze from the nearby Indian Ocean and our sincere gratitude goes to KLGU for bringing this tourney to Malindi again and hope next year and as a Club we are ready for it next year. Our guests, I know you have very limited time here   but please find time to briefly tour our touristic town of Malindi so that you return with memorable experiences of the place,” said Chidagaya.

Overall gross winner Mercy Nyanchama from Njoro makes a swing to the second greens during the Ladies Coast Open Malindi series at the Malindi course in Kilifi County on Monday. [Maarufu Mohamed, Standard]

KLGU Chairman Jane Nzibo Babsa, flanked by her Coast Representative Terry Odoo said they are a Union proud and thrilled to have seen the success of the event and appreciated the Club for all their efforts including the improvement of the Club course to make the game more enjoyable.

“We are indeed honored to have ladies from across the Golf Clubs in the Country, Uganda, Rwanda and Tanzania in this year’s tourney including majority of the Union’s officials across the Country.Its unfortunate that there were many over subscriptions of players wanting to play and were cut off due to logistics,” said Babsa and Odoo.

The Ladies moved to the Vipingo Baobab Ridge Course in Kilifi County the next day (Tuesday),6^th August and on Wednesday,07^th, will be their rest day.

Their battle for supremacy continues on Thursday,8^th August when they cross the Likoni ferry in Mombasa County to Kwale County to play at Diamonds Leisure Golf Club course.

Club Lady Captain Caroline Mokaya said all is set and ready and that the course is in good condition, playing well and they expect about 150 lady golfers in the 18 holes tournament whose defending Champion is Mwongeli Nzioka from Limuru Country Club.

They will come to Mombasa County to battle with the strong Indian Ocean winds at the Sea-link Course on Friday, 9th, August before taking their final day long 36 holes rounds at the Nyali Golf and Country Club Course on Saturday 10th, August.

LADIES COAST OPEN 2024 CALENDAR;

Malindi Country Club…Monday,5th, August (18 holes)-Overall Gross winner-Mercy Nyanchama-Njoro Golf Club-78gross-

Vipingo Baobab Ridge..Tuesday,6th, August (18 holes);

Rest day……………………..Wednesday,7th, August;

Diamonds Leisure………Thursday, 8th August (18 holes);

Sea-link Mombasa………Friday, 9th, August (18 holes);

Nyali Club…………………..Saturday 10th, August (36 holes);