NAIROBI, Kenya, October 16- The team of Pastor Allan Wairi, Pastor George Njugu, Nelson Mudanyi and John Gitonga took the early lead at the Dasani Golf Gala qualifier held at Kenya’s Home of Golf, the Muthaiga Golf Club.
Pastor Njugu, playing off handicap seven returned what is likely to be the top score of the day, a re-sounding 43 points, a level-par gross round of 71.
On the first nine, he only dropped two shots on the relatively easy par-four third and on the tricky and long par-five seventh, finishing with a total of 20 stable ford points. On the back nine, Pastor Njugu went wild, firing five pars, one lone bogey on the par-three 11th and three birdies on the difficult par-four 14th, the drive-able par-four 17th and a closing birdie on the par-five 18th for a huge 23-points and an 18-hole total of 43 points.
Commenting on his performance, Pastor Njugu said golf was a strange game.
“Sometimes, I cant make par over several holes and it leaves me wondering if I should give up the game,” said Njugu.
“But today, it all came together and I have hopefully led my team to the Dasani Golf Gala Grand Finale.
On his part, Pastor Wairi returned an average score of 37 points, managing a lone birdie on the dogleg left par five 10th. Mudanyi, an elite amateur golfer, a scratch handicap golfer and a member of the Kenya team to the East Africa Golf Challenge in Rwanda, later in November, carried his weight, and returned a level gross score of 37 points.
Mudanyi, who was recently granted membership at the Muthaiga Golf Club, started off on a shaky note, dropping three shots on the easy par-four third hole before birding the par-three fifth and the par-four eigth. On the back nine the young Mudanyi made birdie on the par-four 12th, one of the most difficult holes at Muthaiga but failed to capitalise on the easier par-five 10th and 18th holes.
With Pastors Njugu and Wairi blazing the way, the team aggregate score stood at 117 points, the highest yet on the Dasani Golf Gala.
Speaking after his round, Mudanyi attributed his form to the recent Kenya Amateur Team “boot-camp”.
I was part of the team that was training for the Eisenhower Trophy and for the East Africa Golf Challenge and this camp helped my golf sharpen,” Mudanyi commented.
“Being a member of this great club has also helped me harness my skills.”
At the time of going to press, 212 golfers had teed off in calm weather, including Hon Minister Amos Kimunya and Coca-Cola Country Manager for Kenya, Peter Njonjo.
Five teams from the Muthaiga Golf Club will qualify for the Grand Finale to be held on the 23rd of October 2010 at the Muthaiga Golf Club.
