Kenya's Mike Kisia fired an impressive round of 3 level par 144 gross to jointly lead Safari Tour's Day Two proceedings with Zimbabwean Visitor Mapwanya at the par 72 Limuru Country Club course in Kiambu County on Monday.
Mapwanya had savoured a two-shot lead on Day One (Sunday) action when he shot a round of 69, but Kisia's similar score catapulted him to the summit at halfway stage.
Zimbabwean Robson Chinhoi shot the day's best round of 5 under par 67 to move to T3 with Kenya's Edwin Mudanyi. Chinhoi, who is now in his third season of Safari Tour, recovered from a disappointing six over par 78 on Day One.
Former Kenya amateur champion John Karachi is tied for fifth amateur Dennis Maara and Nyasha Muyambo of Zimbabwe with two over par 146.
Karichu is making all the local knowledge count at his home course where he anticipates moving up the leaderboard after making the cut on Day Two.
Joint eighth with a score of 5 over par 147 is Anthony Irungu and CJ Wangapi. Great Rift's Justus Madoya, Thika Sports Club pro-Simon Ngige, Samuel Njoroge of Railway Nairobi and Mutahi Kibugu are lying joint 10th with a gross total of 4 under par 148.
It was a bad day in the office for Mumias professional Dismas Indiza whose two-day rounds of 76 and 73 as well as a gross total of five over par 149 places him on T14 alongside Malawi's Paul Chidale, Erick Ooko, amateur Edgar Brian and Ronald Rugumayo of Uganda.
This season's Safari Tour has attracted a number of foreigners who are hoping to get slots in next year's DP World Tour Magical Kenya Open.
The Safari Tour offers African players an opportunity to rub shoulders with Tour pros in the Kenya Open.
Mapwanya, Chinhoi and Chidale are among the 15 foreign players participating in the event which comes just a week after the season-opening Uganda Open.
LEADERBOARD
T1 Mike Kisia 75, 69= 144 (level par)
T1 Visitor Mapwanya 69, 75= 144 (level par)
T3 Robson Chinhoi (ZIm) 78, 67= 145 (+1)
T3 Edwin Mudanyi 73, 72= 145 (1 )
T5 John Karichu 75 ,71 =146 (2)
T5 Dennis Maara (AM) 73, 73= 146 (2)
T5 Nyasha Muyambo (Zim)71, 75 =146 (2)
T8 Anthony Irungu 76, 71 =147 (3)
T8 C J Wangai 71, 76 =147 (3)
T10 Jastas Madoya 75, 73 =148 (4)
T10 Simon Ngige 74, 74 =148 (4)
T10 Samuel Njoroge 73 ,75 =148 (4)
T10 Mutahi Kibugu 72, 76= 148 (4)
