Patel claims CIC golf tourney

What you need to know:

  • Shamil Patel, a handicap 24 golfer at Sigona Golf Club, beat a field of 190 golfers at the par 72 Sigona Golf Club course, to emerge the overall winner of the CIC Group golf series at the weekend.
  • It was however a struggle for Patel, who attributed his victory to the current super condition of the course. He bogeyed a number of holes at the front nine, though a birdie finish at the ninth gave him a comfortable 23 points.
  • He double-bogeyed the 12th, scratched the 14th and 15th, he dropped two shots at the 17th and one at the 18th for 19 points and a total of 42 to beat men winner Shiv Shah playing off handicap five by three points.

Shamil Patel, a handicap 24 golfer at Sigona Golf Club, beat a field of 190 golfers at the par 72 Sigona Golf Club course, to emerge the overall winner of the CIC Group golf series at the weekend.

It was however a struggle for Patel, who attributed his victory to the current super condition of the course. He bogeyed a number of holes at the front nine, though a birdie finish at the ninth gave him a comfortable 23 points.

He double-bogeyed the 12th, scratched the 14th and 15th, he dropped two shots at the 17th and one at the 18th for 19 points and a total of 42 to beat men winner Shiv Shah playing off handicap five by three points.

Shah birdied the ninth and 10th, having dropped three shots at the front nine for three over par 75 gross that translated to 39 points.

The ladies title went to Maureen Wroe on 35 points, while Aarnav Hindocha on 36, was the top junior. Leading the guests was Irene Auma on 33 points and the nines went to Dev Savani and Shivraj Varma both with 21 points.

Ajay Matharu, one of the longest hitters in the country, won the longest drive among the men and the ladies longest drive winner was Jane Njau.

Irene Auma and Ken Monari won the nearest to pin prize in the event which wound up CIC Group’s golf series this year.

Speaking during the prize giving ceremony, CIC Group managing director- general business Elijah Wachira thanked Sigona golfers for supporting CIC business.

“This is only club where CIC has made a back to back visit in our series and it is because we have a great partnership with Sigona’’ said Wachira.

He said CIC offers various insurance covers including in Marine, Gas and the newly launched Bima Credo.

Meanwhile, Sigona Golf Club will this week host the captain’s prize where out going captain James Mbuthia has lined a number of prizes in the event which will be preceded by the Professional event from Wednesday, where over 40 pros have already listed their names to play in the event where the captain has set aside Sh300,000 for the pros.

Mbuthia said the pros will play from Wednesday to Friday and the amateurs will be battling it out on Saturday and Sunday.