Home player Korir wins year opener in Nakuru

Nakuru Golf Club captain Hillary Korir started the year well after firing an impressive round of four over par 39 points, to claim the overall title in the 2020 Year Opener Golf Challenge at the par 73 Nakuru Golf Club course at the slopes of Menengai Hills in Nakuru County at the weekend.

Playing off handicap six, Korir did not start the day well as he dropped a shot at the very first hole, picked up a double at the long par four-third, followed it with another bogey at the fourth and sixth with a birdie in between.

He however managed to make two quick birdies at the 13th and 14th and was cruising well until he made a triple bogey six at the par three-17th though the three birdies in addition to 11 pars were good enough to give him a two points victory against the handicap two Sarat Singh and high handicapper Douglas Tilbury who took the second and third prizes respectively.

Singh birdied the first, sixth, seventh and 12th but a made a double bogey at the 13th having earlier dropped shots at the fourth, ninth and 17th. Taking the gross title was Eldoret Golf Club’s Aaron Kitur with 31 points while taking home the awards for the nines were Benjamin Sila and Hassan Fazal on 22 and 20 points.

At Sigona Golf Club, Rahim Galib won the January Mug with an excellent score of 42 points, beating Peter Kiguru by two points as Stephen Ngunje on 39 was third. In the ladies section Vinashri Mann carded 38 points while the nines went to H.S. Mann on 21 and D.S. Virdii who posted 23 points.

Meanwhile during Saturday’s Safari Tour eighth leg Pro-Am at the par 71 Muthaiga Golf Club course, the team of long hitting pro Dismas Indiza and amateurs Paul Goindi, Jacob Gathecha and Henry Njoroge carded a total of 83 points to claim the team title ahead of John Wangai and his team of Alex Gitari, George Njugu, and Edie Kibera who carded 79 points.

In third place was the team of Hesbon Kutwa with amateurs David Ombisi, Francis Mungai and Victor Maina also on 79 points. Taking the individual title was Khushil Nathwani with an impressive 40 points, winning ahead of Francis Mungai on 37 who took the men’s title.

The ladies prize went to Nancy Ndung’u on 33 points and winning the nines were George Njogu on 22 and Joseph Iracha on 19 points.