The hunt for points towards the Kenya Amateur Golf Championship (KAGC) golf series and World Amateur Ranking points resumes this weekend at Karen Country Club where the par 72 course will be staging this year’s 54-hole Karen Challenge.
The KAGC series took a short break two weeks ago to give some of the elite amateur players a chance to represent their clubs in the 97th Tannahill Shield which was won by favourites Muthaiga Golf Club team.
A field of 81 players drawn from Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda will be converging at Karen from 7am Saturday in what appears to be a battle between Kenya’s junior golfers and the elite players.
Representing Uganda, will be Ancel Tumwesigye while leading the Tanzania challenge will be Dar es Salaam Gymkhana’s Victor Joseph who has been here since the Tannahill Shield, to prepare for the Karen Challenge and other KAGC open tournaments.
The two will however face a strong challenge from Kenya’s top amateurs such as Kenya Amateur Match Play champion John Lejirmah from Kenya Ralway Golf Club, Kiambu’s Michael Karanga who has been dominating the KAGC series since resuming three months ago.
Other leading players in the line-up includes the long-hitter Adel Balala from Nyali Golf and Country Club, former Kenya Amateur Match play champion Issac Makokha of Vet Lab, Royal Nairobi’s Jay Sandhu, Muthaiga’s Mutahi Kibugu and a host of hot-charged juniors led by Vet Lab’s 17-year-old Leo Zurovac who completed a double in the Junior Golf Foundation (JGF) series after winning both the Kenya Junior Stroke Play championship, and the Limuru Junior Open this week.
At Karen, Zurovac will be with among others, Njoroge Kibugu, and Taimur Malik from Muthaiga, Vet Lab’s Steve Orinda, Windsor’s Lee Kimathi, and Royal Nairobi’s Wambugu Ikinu all of who have been playing well lately in both senior and junior events.
Teeing off for Saturday’s opening round is set for 7am followed by the second round in the afternoon while the event winds up with the third round on Sunday morning.
Action at Karen however starts with Friday’s Institute of Quantity Surveyors of Kenya event which has attracted over 200 players.
Meanwhile for the past 10 years, the following have emerged winners of the Karen Challenge: 2010- David Opati, 2011-Robinson Owiti, 2012-Nadeem Alibhai, 2013-Francis Kimani, 2014-Tony Omuli, 2015- Anthony Kinuthia(Karen Staff), 2016- John Karichu, 2017- Paul Muchangi, 2018-Samuel Njoroge, 2019-Isaiah Otuke.
Last year’s event was cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Away at Sigona golf club, over 200 players were drawn for the Crown Paints tournament where an array of prizes will be up for grab in the various categories.
At Ruiru Sports Club, the par 72 course will be hosting the Tai Sacco golf tournament, and some of the lady golfers will be at Kenya Railway Golf Club for the Ladies Stableford tournament. BY DAILY NATION