Nyali Bowl up for grabs at Ladies Coast Open

What you need to know:

  • The third and final leg of this year’s Ladies Coast Open Golf Championship is on at the par 71 Nyali Golf and Country Club on Thursday following the first and second events at Leisure Lodge and Vipingo Ridge respectively.
  • A strong field of 85 golfers including 11 Tanzanian lady golfers will be battling it out for 36-hole Nyali Bowl which is up for grabs in the absence of defending champion Naomi Wafula and Kellie Gachaga.

The third and final leg of this year’s Ladies Coast Open Golf Championship is on at the par 71 Nyali Golf and Country Club on Thursday following the first and second events at Leisure Lodge and Vipingo Ridge respectively.

A strong field of 85 golfers including 11 Tanzanian lady golfers will be battling it out for 36-hole Nyali Bowl which is up for grabs in the absence of defending champion Naomi Wafula and Kellie Gachaga.

Wafula has been out of action since last year, while Gachaga is currently in the United States of America.

That leaves Kiambu’s Joyce Wanjiru, Eldoret’s Esther Chumo, Nakuru’s Shiro Kaime and Nyali captain Joyce Masai to battle it out with the tough fighting Tanzanians , ed by Arusha Gymkhana Club’s Madina Idd, a past winner of the event, and another former champion Angel Eaton of Dar es Salaam Gymkhana as well as Neema Olomi of Arusha and Lugalo’s Vicky Elias.

Of the total field, in the event which comes two weeks after the men’s Coast Open, 44 will be vying for the overall title (Silver Division) while the remaining 41 will be in the Bronze division.

As usual the event will played over two rounds with the first round set for 7.15am followed by the second round at 12.30pm.

This year, the tournament is sponsored by Standard Group, KCB, Coca Cola, Tudor Healthcare, Solian and friends of the lady captain.

During the first leg at the par 72 Leisure Lodge Golf and Beach Resort in Kwale County, handicap five Angel Eaton Angel from Dar Gymkhana carded three over par 75 to beat Madina Idd by five shots while Ayne Magombe also from Dar Gymkhana was third on 81 gross.

Eldoret’s Esther Chumo was a distant fourth on 84 gross while the nett title also went to Tanzania with Mwanaidi Ibrahim on 76 nett.

Home player Sabine Funk was second on 78. The Bronze title went to Rosemary Mkok on 96 gross winning by a shot from Naomi Wambui. Ruiru’s Valentine Mukui won the nett on 77.

Back in Nairobi, Nyali Golf and Country Club’s Agil Is-Haq fired two over par 73 for a three-way tie at the close of round two in this year’s Kenya Junior Strokeplay Championship at the par 71 Muthaiga Golf Club course.

Is-Haq posted 74 in the first round where home player Kibugu Mutahi fired level par 71.

Mutahi, however, carded 76 in the second round to join Is-Haq and another Muthaiga player Zubar Khan who carded 73 and 74 to also close with 147.