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Despite picking up double and triple bogeys on the front nine, Vet Lab Sports Club’s Agnes Nyakio, picked herself up at the back nine, to eventually emerge the overall winner of the 2019 Kenya Ladies Golf Union (KLGU) Chairman’s Prize at the par 71 Muthaiga Golf Club course where the afternoon session was rained off.
Playing off handicap five, Nyakio, one of the elite lady golfers, made two early bogeys on the third and fifth, with a birdie at the fourth. She however missed the greens on both sixth and eighth, to pick up a double and triple bogeys. She made a birdie at the 11th, dropped it soon after at the 12th, pared the remaining six holes of the back nine for six over par 77, to beat her club-mate Mercy Nyanchama by two shots.
“The course was really playing tough and long because of the rains, but I am very happy to have won the overall prize. I am so grateful to all the Vet Lab ladies for supporting me to play in this event,’’ said Nyakio who took home the Muthoni Muthiga Trophy and a list of take away prizes, courtesy of main sponsors Total Kenya.
Defending champion Joyce Wanjiru of Kiambu doubled-bogeyed both the two short holes at the front nine in addition to five singles bogeys which was her undoing for the day. “I played an awful first nine and I knew it was going to be very difficult to recover at the back nine,’’ said Wanjiru who picked six pars at the back nine, but it was an improvement coming rather too late as her 82 could only give her the third prize in the Silver division after beating Windsor’s Ariane Recizac on countback.
Nine-year-old Belinda Wanjiru of Golf Park clinched the Anne Watling Salver Trophy in the Bronze division where she posted gross 95, to emerge the overall winner. She beat second-placed Nyambura Muigai by three shots and third placed Grace Wanjohi and Rosemary Kioni by five shots.
Winning the Lucie Maina Trophy was Jane Parmley with a score of 89 gross. Topping the list for the handicap 30 to 35 (Mary Wambugu Trophy) was R. Thuo who posted 116 gross. In the handicap division, Eunice Mwangi won the Silver division with nett 76, beating Rachel Ndei and Liz Armitage by one shot while the Bronze nett winner was Rose Catherine on 74 nett followed in second place by Milka Mburu and I. Ashioya on 78 nett each.
In the men’s category where the prizes were awarded on nines since most of them did not manage to complete 18 holes because of the rains, J. Githinji posted 25 points to win ahead of Simeon Onyango with 23 while Linus Gitahi was third with 20 points. Taking the sponsors first prize with 30 points was Macharia Irungu on 30, three better than Linus Gitahi.
Speaking during the prize-giving ceremony, outgoing KLGU chairlady Phyllis Kimbo thanked all the sponsored led by Total Kenya for agreeing to sponsor the event having supported ladies events in general for the 2019 season.
“I am truly grateful to all the sponsors as well as all the lady golfers in the country and in particular the KLGU council members for having supported me and made my work much easier, and would like to ask them to support the new chairman and her executive,’’ said Kimbo.
