Home golfer Stephen Malakwen won the 12th leg of the DStv Explora golf tourney at the par 73 Kitale Golf Club over the weekend. Teeing off at handicap 19, Malakwen waded through the afternoon rainfall to swing to victory. He shot a net level (73) to emerge top in an event which attracted 50 golfers.
He started with a double bogey on par five hole one in the first nine and then recovered on hole 3 with a bogey. This was followed by a par on hole par 4 hole four, a par on par 3 hole five and another bogey on par 5 hole seven to end the first nine with 39 net.
“It was a bad start today. After my tee shot went out of bounce, another challenge followed me in the second hole with my tee shot before I holed out with eight shots,” said Malakwen. In the second nine, he got five bogeys, three pars and a double bogey for 34 net. “Second nine was my favourite. I could even have played better than that if there was no rain,” said Malakwen. Jonathan Cheruiyot, Solomon Kariuki and Lady Captain Hannah Rutenbar lost to the winner on count back while M.Yator closed the top five finishers with 74.
Handicap 18 Phyllis Kisuna was the nearest to the pin prize winner after shooting 146 yards on hole 7. Top golfer Philip Shiharsy, won the men’s longest drive from 300 yards while Rutenbar was on the podium again for longest drive women’s prize of 250 yards.