Wakhu oozed confidence from the first tee box firing an impressive last round of 6 under par 65 and had his campaign effectively sewn up when Dismas Indiza faltered on the last round.
NAIROBI, Kenya, Aug 22 – David Wakhu rallied from a four stroke deficit at penultimate stage to win the opening round of the new Safari Tour at the Par 71 Nyali Golf and Country Club.
Wakhu oozed confidence from the first tee box firing an impressive last round of 6 under par 65 and had his campaign effectively sewn up when Dismas Indiza faltered on the last round.
Wakhu round of 6 under went down as a new course record for Nyali Club – which took his total for the tourney to 284.
Indiza who impressed by shooting 5-under par 66 yesterday finished 4 over par for the day to take his tournament total to 287.
Golf Park’s David Wakhu follows the flight of his tee shot on the final day of the Nyali Golf Club’s leg of the Safari Tour Golf Series.
The long hitting Mumias professional played a disappointing 39 on the front nine and 36/on the back nine for a total of 3 over par 75 gross to settle for second.
Joint third on a score of 4over par 288 were Riz Charania and Eric Ooko who led the first two days.
Kopan Timber and Greg Snow finished joint fifth on 6 over par 290 gross.
Wakhu said his win at Nyali will be a major morale boost for his Safari Tour campaign.
‘I’m glad to have laid my hands on the top prize of the new Tour. The setting of the course really suited my game and more so after Indiza’s massive lead on penultimate day. I take this opportunity to thank my caddy who took me round the course in a manageable manner.”
Asked about Indiza’s flop, Wakhu added: “In golf its not over until its over. You just can’t tell the final outcome even when.at the top But despite trailing him by four strokes I just played my game.”
Round three leader Indiza was left to rue his shot game and indeed a bad day at the office on the final day.
“My putting was pathetic. I really tried to make up for my earlier undoing in tje first nine but in vain,” said Indiza.
“I hit the fairways really well but again the shot game let me down,” added Indiza.
Kenya Open Golf Limited Chairman Peter Kanyago (left) hands a dummy cheque to the inagural Safari Tour golf series winner David Wakhu at the Nyali Golf Club.
Kenya Open Golf Chairman Peter Kanyago said the Tour was started to prepare local pros the moment the Kenya Open was upgraded to European Tour status.
The Chairman added that they have plans to takes the Safari Tour regional.
Speaking in Mombasa after the four day extravaganza, Kanyago added that they also have plans to bring a Challenge Tour event to Nyali.
The Safari Tour will see the pros compete for a Prize of Ksh 750,000 and the under par bonus of Ksh 250,000 per event.
With no one playing under par at Nyali, course, the pros shared a prize fund of Ksh 1million.
In the curtain raiser, Windsor Golf and Country Club’s Riz Charania led his team of Said Bajaber, Justin Kaburu and Reaz Alibhai to win the Safari Tour Pro-Am event at the Nyali Golf and Country Club with a combined stableford score of 82.
Charania posted an individual score of level gross on what was a tough windy and rainy day at Nyali. Speaking after his round, Charania praised his team of amateurs for playing well. “I was lucky to be paired with a team of golfers who were fun to play with and who obviously know their golf course very well,” he said.
FINAL RESULTS- SAFARI TOUR ROUND ONE
- David Wakhu 284 (0)
- Dismas Indiza 287 (3)
T3. Rizwan Charania 288 (4)
T3 Eric Ooko 288 (4)
T5 Kopan Timbe 290 (6)
T5 Greg Snow 290 (6)
Safari Tour Calendar 2018/19
Event 1 – Nyali Golf & CC – 18 – 22 August
Event 2 – Vet Lab SC – 1 – 5 Sept
Event 3 – Limuru Country Club – 27 – 31 October
Event 4 – Thika Greens- 10 – 14 November
Event 5 – Karen Country Club – 15 – 19 December
Event 6 – Muthaiga Golf Club – 12 – 16 Jan
Event 7 – SAFARI TOUR CLASSIC – FEBRUARY – Venue TBC.
