Tanzanians dominate Coast Open

Esther Chumo of Eldoret Golf Club follows the progress of her shot during a past tournament. PHOTO | JARED NYATAYA |

What you need to know:

  • Nyali lady captain Joyce Masai finished in fourth place with 150 nett.

Tanzanian ladies as expected produced their usual fireworks, to claim half of the prizes on offer at this year’s Ladies Coast Open golf series that ended at the par 71 Nyali Golf and Country Club course Mombasa on Thursday.

And leading the Tanzanian challenge was Dar es Salaam Gymkhana Club’s Angel Eaton who completed a 36-hole total of 152 gross to lift the Nyali Bowl, the main event in the Ladies Coast.

The handicap five Eaton carded eight over par 79 in the first round and an impressive 73 in the closing round, to beat Arusha Gymkhana Club and tournament favourite Madina Idd by three shots.

Eaton won the first leg of the series at Leisure Lodge on 75 gross, and posted 86 gross Vipingo Ridge for an all rounds total of 313 gross.

Another Tanzanian player Lina Francis combined 83 and 78 to finish in third place overall with 161 gross. Kiambu’s Wanjiru Karume was the best Kenyan in fourth place on 165 gross after beating Esther Chumo of Eldoret on countback.

Also going to Tanzania was the Silver Division nett title where Naomi Joseph carded nett 146 to win by three shots from Nyali’s Terry Odoo and Esther Chumo both on 149 nett.

Nyali lady captain Joyce Masai finished in fourth place with 150 nett. It was only in the second division (Bronze) where the Kenyans dominated with Teresia Wainaina from Ruiru Sports Club posted gross 190 to beat Tanzania’s Tayana William by three shots as Thika’s Petty Kigwe on 195 was third.

Grace Karanja carded 197 gross to finish fourth.

The nett title remained at Nyali with Rapthi De Silva on 151 nett after a three was countback with R. Wainaina and Alyssa Jamal while Nilam Shah was fourth on 153 nett.

The visiting Tanzanians however made a clean sweep in the gross and nett rounds where Neema Olomi and Ayne Magombe won the first and second rounds gross on 82 and 80 and Mwanaidi Ibrahim and Gloria Mbaguta won the first and second round nett on 73 each.

The combination of Madina Idd and Naomi Joseph won the team title on 295 gross, just a shot better than Angel Eaton and Ayne Magombe on 296.