Larry Ngala
6 October 2008
Nairobi — Former Nation Classic champion Elijah Adul produced one of his best rounds this season, 40 stableford points, on the wet Nyanza Golf Club course to win the Safaricom Festival of Golf Western region qualifying round at the weekend.
The handicap 13 player, a member of various clubs in the country including Muthaiga, posted 21 points in the front nine and 19 at the back nine to beat Nandi Bears Club's John Tarus on countback, securing himself a place in the national finals to be held next year.
Adul dropped a shot at the first hole but made a steady recovery with a three at the par four second hole. Despite bogeying the next two holes, he managed to par the fifth, sixth and seventh as well as the ninth for his 21.
The back nine was not so smooth for Adul as he bogeyed the 10th and 12th, scratched the 13th but parred the rest for an in-ward 19 points.
The tournament, which attracted players from Kakamega, Nandi, Mumias and hosts Nyanza, was postponed on Saturday due to the heavy rains that flooded the course.
Single figure handicap John Tarus posted 22 points at the front nine and 18 from the back nine to also sign a 40 points card, losing the top position to Adul.
Following closely in third position was Narmit Patel who carded 18 and 19 points for a total of 39 points beating Ezekiel Sang of Nandi by a narrow point.
Rodgers Mulemi of Kakamega finished fifth on 38 while home player Wycliffe Nyambogo on 37 was sixth placed after beating Beetak Sohannan and William Boit on countback.
Other qualifiers were David Sambai and Ken Owiti, who both posted 36 points each. The next leg of the series will be staged at Nakuru Golf Club on October 18.
At Railway, Nyanza Golf Club chairman Boniface Mukuria, who skipped the Safaricom Festival of Golf qualifier at his club, was in great form as he posted an impressive 44 points made up of 23 and 21 to clinch the 2008 edition of Diwali Trophy, beating Kenya Airways pilot Patrick Kanyagia (22, 21) by a point.
Finishing third at the unusual high scoring Railway course was Vincent Mugeni on 42. G.M. Gichuki won the guest prize with a score of 37, beating Peter Musango by a point
S.H.O. Onyango won the gross with 31 points, and the nines went to John Mutuku and Ramesh Wanzah on 22 and 23 points.
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