AfricaPress-Kenya: Handicap 19 Steve Macharia won the maiden Ngao Credit golf tournament overall title at the par-73 Nakuru Golf Club over the weekend.
Macharia, who is the Njoro Country Club chairman, fired a sterling round total of 42 stableford points to triumph over a field of 146 golfers who competed in the day-long tournament that was played under clear blue skies.
On his outward nine, Macharia lost several birdie chances as he hit most of the greens on regulation and failed to convert his chances into commendable scores.
Macharia, who exhibited a solid short game through his round of 18, opened his scorecard with a double-bogey, birdied the second, a par-four, before bogeying the fifth, a par-four.
He then inked his second birdie of the day on the par-four sixth hole, double-bogeyed the seventh, a par-four, before blanking the ninth for a front-nine score of 22 stableford points.
After the turn, his good score seemed to take toll on him as he collapsed, picking five successive bogeys on the par-four 10th, 11th, 12th, 13th, a par-five, and 14th, a par-four.
Macharia later parred the 15th hole, a par-three, bogeyed the next hole, and parred the 17th, a par-three before winding up with another bogey on the homestretch, a par-five to have an additional 20 stableford points for a round total of 42.
“My game was stable and the course equally favoured me,” said Macharia. “I was swinging well throughout my round and played alongside a great team of players who made me exhibit a good game too.”
It seemed to be a Njoro Country Club affair as it’s players occupied the three top spots in the tournament.
Playing off handicap 28, Gurviv Sagoo finished second with 41 (19+22) stableford points as handicap 15 Indraj Singh took the overall third with 40 (21+19) stableford points.
Donning the ladies gong was Linda Munyao, playing off-handicap 26 with 37 (18+19) stableford points.
The tournament was presented by credit solutions provider Ngao Credit and will be moving to Thika Greens Golf Resort in two weeks time.
Other venues that are scheduled to host the tournament include Vet Lab, Nyali Country Golf and Club, Eldoret Club, Kakamega Sports Club and Ruiru Sports Club.
