Nicholas Korir is teeing up for the ultimate prize after leading his four-ball to a thrilling victory at the seventh leg of the KCB East Africa Golf Tour at Kericho Golf Club over the weekend.
Korir, alongside Leonard Kiplangat, Munga Marisoi and Benson Magolo, carded a combined 104 stableford points to top the leaderboard and clinch the overall team title in a hotly contested outing that drew 112 golfers.
Close on their heels was the quartet of Bill Kalya, Ben Kalya, Judy Chebon and Debra Koske, who returned 103 points to finish runners-up in a nail-biting finish.
Both teams have secured their slots in the tour’s grand finale set for December
Buoyed by the home win, Korir now has his sights firmly set on lifting the overall crown.
"We are hopeful that we will have a good outing at the grand finale. We want to put the Kericho name out there," Korir said.
He added that the tour aims to drive economic impact and promote sustainability through golf.
"It is a privilege to win this tournament that was tough and challenging. The tournament and turn out was good. We have to practice and sharpen our skills as we prepare for the grand finale," he added.
In the individual stableford category, Julius Rono fired an impressive 38 points to edge out Frankline Kiplimo on countback, while scribe Tobias Messo returned 37 points to be named the men’s winner.
In the ladies' category, Dorothy Koech mastered the greens with 35 points to beat Eunice Korir by a single stroke.
The tournament featured 18 teams in total.
KCB Director of Customer Experience, Micheu Njiru, lauded the performance and spirit of the golfers.
"I congratulate all the winners, specifically, the two teams that
will compete at the grand finale,” Njiru said.
He noted the growth of golf in the country since 2023.
“Since we launched our golf series back in 2023, Kericho Golf Club has always been part of it. This has greatly been driven by our deep relationship with the club that is rooted in friendship, shared value, and similar ambitions."
"We intend to boost the local economy through this series, aligning with our overall agenda as an institution."
In the staff category, Mumias Branch Manager Chris Avisa emerged top, followed by Peter Ndichu, while Anthony Cheruiyot returned 30 points to bag the junior title.
Big-hitting David Biegon and Debra Koske claimed the longest drive accolades in the men’s and women’s categories, respectively, as Nandi Golf Club’s Daniel Githinji took home the nearest-to-the-pin prize.
Away from the fairways, the bank hosted a junior golf clinic on Sunday that attracted over 100 young aspirants eager to learn the basics of the game.
As part of its green agenda, KCB also conducted a tree-planting drive at the venue.
The tour now heads to Nanyuki Golf Club next weekend for the eighth leg of the 2024 circuit.
