Fresh from leading the Kenya team to bronze at the just concluded Africa Championships in Egypt, top amateur golfers return to action this weekend at the 45th edition of the Kenya Amateur Strokeplay Championship at the Vipingo Ridge Golf Resort in Kilifi county.
Kenya Strokeplay champion Adel Balala from Nyali will be up against fellow Team Kenya players John Lejirma (Kenya Railways), Michael Karanga (Kiambu) and Dennis Maara of Limuru at the event dubbed Kenyatta Memorial Bowl.
The event is part of the Kenya Amateur Golf Championships (KAGC) series and tees off on November 20-23 as the championship makes its debut at the coast-based club.
Balala said he will capitalise on the home-ground advantage as he seeks to retain his title. He believes he is well prepared for the four-day tourney at the 72-hole tournament.
“I am well prepared for the title defence because I train on this course. I have been here since and winning at home will be great for me,” said Balala.
He said one of the challenges that await golfers at Vipingo is the windy situation at the course.
“The wind will not distract my play because I grew up in these conditions. However, other players may face it as a challenge,” he added.
The tournament, according to Kenya Golf Union (KGU), has attracted 76 elite amateurs drawn from 18 golf clubs drawn from Kilifi, Nairobi, Kiambu, Mombasa, Uasin-Gishu, Nandi, Nakuru and Machakos counties.
The event has also attracted players from Uganda Golf Club, Dar-es-salaam Gymkhana and Jaeren Golf Club in Norway. Kenya team captain Maara, who is also the Kenya Amateur Matchplay champion, is among the favourites for the event.
The KGU chairman Njani Ndiritu announced the introduction of cash prizes for the event in line with the revised regulations by the R&A which allow amateur golfers to win cash prizes to a maximum limit of Sh 115,000.
The winner of the event will get an automatic entry to the 2023 Magical Kenya Open subject to meeting the DP World Tour requirements. The tournament director, Philip Ochola said plans for the event are on course.
He said there will be a subsidiary tournament on October 22 which is open to golfers across the country, including ladies and juniors.
