Muthaiga’s Daniel Kiragu tops the leader board after the first round of the Faldo Series Kenya Championship at Limuru Country Club over the weekend.
Kiragu played level on the first nine in a combination of two birdies, five pars and two bogeys, and +1 on the back nine consisting of two birdies, five pars, one bogey and one double bogey.
He said he was happy to have had a good start and hopes things will get better on Monday. “Today is a very special day for me. I hope to continue playing well,” Kiragu said.
He is closely followed by the Kenya Junior Stroke play Champion Elvis Muigua of Kiambu Golf Club (+3) and Dennis Gakuo of Thika Sports Club (+4). The top girl Channel Wangari is fourth on the leader board having played six over par.
The tournament has attracted a total of 62 juniors drawn from different clubs across the country including Limuru, Golf Park, Muthaiga, Kiambu, Vet Lab, Windsor, Nakuru, Thika Sports, Naivasha, Royal Nairobi, Ndumberi, Karen, Nyali, Kenya Railway and Sigona Golf Club.
Kenya is privileged to be the first country to host the event which will run for 3 days (September 10-12) of 18 holes each.
The tournament is a World Amateur Ranking Event. It is part of the global Sir Nick Faldo Series which exposes the juniors to a great competition experience and in the long term enhances the development of ardent junior golfers to professional levels.
There are four age categories— 12-16 and 17-21 (boys and girls). Four leading competitors in each category will qualify to compete in the annual Faldo Series Grand Final at Al Ain Equestrian, Shooting and Golf Club in the United Arab Emirates from November 1-3.
The tournament director, James Ondigo, from the Junior Golf Foundation (JGF), expressed excitement after holding the event for the first time in Africa in partnership with Sir Nick Faldo Foundation.
He said the event is part of the JGF Series that build on the Foundation’s mandate to encourage the growth of junior golf and is a qualifier for the Grand Finale in Al Ain set for November 1 to 3.
“We are pleased to be the first country to host this event in Africa. We expect to see so many good scores. All the top amateur junior golfers from the country are here and we are happy to see this happen,” he said.
