Njoroge claims joint lead in Kenya Open Strokeplay
Samuel Njoroge of Railways Golf Club tees off from the first tee during Round One Kenya Amateur Strokeplay Championship at Sigona Golf Club on October 19, 2018. PHOTO | CHRIS OMOLLO |
What you need to know:
Kariuki, from Limuru made only two birdies both coming on the first nine (second and six), but dropped five shots on third, fifth, nine, 12th and 14th for three over par 75 to also wind up the morning round with a total of 147
Dropping to fourth place on 149 was Dubai based Bradley Mogire who carded four over par 76 while the Great Rift Valley Resort’s Simon Njogu and tournament favourite Edwin Mudanyi who both shot 79 during Friday’s first round, shot one under par 71 each to tie for fifth place on 150
Nduva, who has already qualified for the Kenya Open by virtue of having won the Kenya Amateur Matchplay championship, is probably taking a break after travelling to Lubumbashi for the Democratic Republic of Congo Open which he won by a whole seven shots
Kenya Railway Golf Club’s Samuel Njoroge fired his way to a joint lead after a one over par 73 in Saturday morning’s second round of the 2018 Kenya Amateur Strokeplay golf championship at the par 72 Sigona Golf Club course.
Kariuki, from Limuru made only two birdies both coming on the first nine (second and six), but dropped five shots on third, fifth, nine, 12th and 14th for three over par 75 to also wind up the morning round with a total of 147.
Moving from ninth to third place with Windsor Golf Hotel and Country’s Taimur Malik who shot the day’s best round of two under par 70 for a two rounds total of 148, just a shot off the two leaders. Malik birdied the sixth, 15th and 17th with only one bogey at the 14th hole.
Dropping to fourth place on 149 was Dubai based Bradley Mogire who carded four over par 76 while the Great Rift Valley Resort’s Simon Njogu and tournament favourite Edwin Mudanyi who both shot 79 during Friday’s first round, shot one under par 71 each to tie for fifth place on 150.
Njogu fired a total of five birdies, two in the first nine and three at the back nine though bogeys on the fifth, seventh, eighth and 13th denied him a low round while Mudanyi birdied the second, 10th, 12th and 15th but a double bogey at the seventh and a single one at the 13th saw him also finish on 71.
The third round of the 72-hole event, which also counts towards the World Amateur Rankings and whose winner will book a ticket to next year’s European Tour-sanctioned-Kenya Open at Karen Country in March, was still on at the time of writing.
The third round of the only 72-hole amateur stroke-play tournament, which has been taking place annual since 1978, is set for Sunday morning. This year, the Kenyatta Memorial Bowl which goes to the player with the lowest gross aggregate after four rounds, is up for grabs since defending champion Daniel Nduva of Nyali currently based in South Africa, did not turn up though he had been drawn to play.
Nduva, who has already qualified for the Kenya Open by virtue of having won the Kenya Amateur Matchplay championship, is probably taking a break after travelling to Lubumbashi for the Democratic Republic of Congo Open which he won by a whole seven shots.
He is however likely to participate in the season’s grand finale, the Nyali Open on December 15 and 16, at Nyali Golf and Country where the country’s top amateur golfer will be announced.
