Chairman’s Prize at Muthaiga attracts top pros
What you need to know:
- Wanjalla will be handing over the KGU mantle to his vice Lucas Maranga on May 18.
- Leading the pros in the one day event, will be Professionals of Kenya (PGK) chairman Charan Thethy.
At least 20 local professional golfers will return to action at the par 71 Muthaiga Golf Club course Friday, two and half weeks after the Kenya Open.
They pros are among a field of 200 golfers who were drawn for the Kenya Golf Union (KGU) Chairman’s Prize which signals the end of the term of outgoing KGU boss Richard Wanjalla.
He will be handing over the KGU mantle to his vice Lucas Maranga on May 18.
Wanjalla, a former General manager of the Nation Media Group which is sponsoring the event, has served in various capacities including being the treasurer before taking over as the chairman in May 2017.
Leading the pros in the one day event, will be Professionals of Kenya (PGK) chairman Charan Thethy.
Others are Alfred Nandwa from Railway, Erick Ooko of Royal, Nelson Simwa of Vet Lab, Jacob Okello and David Wakhu of Golf Park and home pro Nelson Mudanyi.
The pros are playing for a Sh150,000 purse while over a dozen prizes will be at stake for the amateurs including former Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero and a host of past KGU chairmen.
Also listed to play is George “Ballesteros’’ Njugu, who, over the weekend, carded an impressive 39 points on the long playing course, to claim the overall title in the Association of Consulting Engineers of Kenya (ACEK @50) tournament.
Meanwhile, Muthaiga will host the annual 54-hole Eileen Belcher tournament, Kenya’s major ladies foursomes Match Play golf championship.
This prestigious tournament, formerly the Inter District Cup, marks its 80th anniversary.
A field of 108 ladies from the usual four zones will be battling it out for the cup, donated by former Kenya Ladies Golf Union chairman Eileen Belcher.
As usual, the clubs have been zoned as follows: The Blue Zone comprising Muthaiga, Windsor, Machakos and Coast clubs; The Yellow Zone - Vet Labs, Sigona, Railway and Rift Valley; The Green Zone - Karen, Limuru, and Western; The Red Zone - Royal, Golf Park and Central.
The top Division A will vie for the Eileen Belcher trophy while the B Division teams will battle it out for the Sinclair Quaich and the C Division, for players playing off handicap 21 to 35, will vie for the Palmer Trophy.
During last year’s tournament the Red Teams clinched both the Eileen Belcher Trophy and Sinclair Quaich while the Yellow won the Palmer Trophy.
