Manji holds the nerve to win NCBA Central Rift Junior Open

Junaid Manji attempts a putt duirng the inaugural NCBA Central Rift Junior Open at the Nakuru Golf Club.[Courtesy]

Junaid Manji survived a late charge from Krish Shah and Tsevi Soni to win the inaugural NCBA Central Rift Junior Open at the Nakuru Golf Club. 

Only three shots separated the top four golfers as the competition came to a close on Sunday. Manji had a fair score of 78 on day 1, and followed it up with a score of  74 in the second round, and a disappointing 82 points in the third round. 

This was contributed by a poor start in the first nine in the final round. Manji picked a bogey in the first seven holes before playing level par in hole eight and a morale-boosting birdie at hole nine. In the second nine, Manji picked only two bogeys and played level par in the other seven holes.  

“Feels good actually, I’m a bit shocked that I won especially after the way I started this morning; honestly I just thank God, I had no expectations; I didn’t think anything,” quipped Manji. 

On the opponents who gave him a run for his morning in the final round, Manji said “They are great. They are all very good players as well and I just keep encouraging them to get better because everyday you have to get better.

Manji added that playing in Nakuru was not easy. 

“The greens were very hard and bumpy and I struggled a lot of times actually to get the ball closer to the hole.” 

Krish Shah finished second, just one stroke behind Manji. In third place was Tsevi Soni, one shot behind Shah and two strokes behind the winner. 

14 year old Belinda Wanjiru was the overall winner in the girls category with a score of 237, three shy of the overall winner. 

“I had an amazing experience, it is my first time in Nakuru. The course is very lush and the fairways hold very well. But when you get to the greens it gets a bit harder for you to spin the ball and to putt,” said Wanjiru. 

Phelex Cheruiyot won the boys 19-21 years category. But the highlight of the weekend was his hole in one at number 15 which earned him one of the two birdies on his scorecard.