Larry Ngala
23 June 2008
Dar Es Salaam — A twelve-year-old boy will lead Tanzania's team of six players to the 2008 East African Nation Golf Classic series grand finale at Muthaiga Golf Club in November.
Victor Joseph, an orphan who eight nine months ago knew nothing about golf, beat a field of 139 players with a superb 39 stableford points to emerge the leading qualifier of the East African Nation Golf Classic Tanzania edition at the tough playing Dar es Salaam Gymkhana Club.
Joseph, one of five juniors who started golf last September, thanks to Dar es Salaam resident professional and golf administrator Charles Farrar, currently playing off handicap 18, fired five over par 22 at the front nine despite double-bogeying thee par three-ninth.
He later posted 17 points at the back nine which included three double-bogeys and a three back to back bogeys at the last three holes.
"I am very excited that Joseph has won this event. I started off with these boys on September 28 last year and not only they are playing well but they are likely to be single figure players by the end of the year," said Farrar, formerly the resident professional at Muthaiga.
Joseph vied for the two slots in the 'B' division in the event sponsored by the Nation Media Group and hosted by Mwananchi Communications Limited, a Nation Media Group subsidiary company in Tanzania.
He beat Greg Nkitas by two points for Nkitas to claim the second prize. However the first prize in the A division for single figure handicap players saw lady golfer Hawa Wanyeche return 38 points to win by one point from one of Tanzania's leading amateurs, Pembe Kondo, by a point.
The C division title went to Aliasger Mustafa with 39 points made up of 21 and 18 to win by five points from second placed Firoz Ghor. Former Diani Beach Masters champion Hassan Kadio shot one under par 37 points to claim the gross title.
The guest prize went to Zambia's B. Mwamba with 33 points after beating Muthaiga's Liz Mwangi on countback. Mwangi took the second prize. The staff prize was carried forward to the next event as no staff player made 30 points and above.
Nation Media Group chief executive officer Linus Gitahi, NMG director Abdallah Bekah and Yours Truly all posted 28 points to fall short of the cut by two points while NMG chairman Martin Aliker was next on 27 points.
Shaazi Miombe won the women's prize with 36 points while the nines went to Amani Saidi (22) and H.M. Rhee on 21. Salim Ali took the junior prize with 35 points. Dar es Salaam Gymkhana Club used the event to launch the Tanzania Junior Golf Foundation.
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