Chairmen, captains host tournaments

What you need to know:

  • The stableford format means players like Karanga and Michael Ngene will have to shoot under par scores to feature in the prize.
  • At Sigona, over 200 players will battle for the overall prizes in the Chairman’s Prize which has attracted a number of sponsors.

Chairman and Captain’s Prize golf events once again dominate the local golf scene this weekend as the Kenya Amateur Golf Championship series takes a break until early next month following last weekend’s Railway Invitation.

Chairmen tournaments in Ndumberi and Sigona have both attracted good fields with the tiny Ndumberi course hosting club chairman James Kiru Kuria's tournament that has drawn 79 players, who include the captain Michael Karanga who a few weeks ago scored a major upset by beating local professionals in the third leg of the Safari Tour Series at Limuru.

The stableford format means players like Karanga and Michael Ngene will have to shoot under par scores to feature in the prize.

At Sigona, over 200 players will battle for the overall prizes in the Chairman’s Prize which has attracted a number of sponsors.

The biggest field, however, will be at the Captain’s Prize at Vet Lab (Mark Karobia) Friday and Saturday where the event is being sponsored by, among other corporates, Sense of Africa, EABL, Auto Xpress, Isols, Carlsberg and Safaricom.

OWITI IN ACTION

Among the players drawn are some of the club’s leading amateurs such as Robinson Owiti, who last weekend clinched the Railway Invitation, a Kenya Amateur Golf Championship round, at the Kenya Railway Golf Club.

Other players who have been playing well include Fernando Wangilla, Steve Orinda, Eddy Mogoa and Peter Sinkira. A number of pros, including the locals like Mathew Omondi, Nelson Simwa, Aly Orende and Ali Kimani are also expected to be in action, particularly in Friday’s round.

At Royal Nairobi, lady captain Mary Gatere has also attracted a huge field in her Captain’s Prize being played Friday and Saturday. Friday’s tournament will be a mixed foursomes followed by the main event, a stableford off full handicap, on Saturday. There will be prizes for both Friday and Saturday’s tournament.

The nine-hole Kiambu Golf Club course will host the Doctors Golf Day, an annual event sponsored by a number of doctors, some of whom are members of the club.

At the par 72 Ruiru Sports Club, the Gatundu Golf Day follows last weekend's Captain’s Prize while in Thika, the Thika Sports Club will host the Lions of Club of Thika/Kilimambogo Charity tournament.

Away in Nandi County, golfers from the North Rift region will battle for the prizes in the Vivo Energy tournament.