All eyes on Snow as Royal hosts second leg of Safari Tour
Malawi's Paul Chidale follows the flight of his shot during the first round of the final leg of 2019/20 Safari Tour Golf Series at Karen Country Club on February 23, 2020.
What you need to know:
- A winner of five events last season, Snow produced a four-round total of one over par 289 despite the long lay-off occasioned by Covid-19 pandemic
- Depending on how the course is set, an under par score may not be an easy task to achieve
- Joining the pros in the second leg of the Kenya Open Golf Limited-owned Safari Tour are seven amateurs
Muthaiga golf Club’s Greg Snow is the man to watch this week as Royal Nairobi Golf Club hosts the second leg 2020 Safari Tour golf series starting Monday.
The second leg round has attracted a field of 58 players, six more than last week’s first leg at Limuru Club. A winner of five events last season, Snow produced a four-round total of one over par 289 despite the long lay-off occasioned by Covid-19 pandemic.
At Limuru, Snow beat former Kenya Amateur Golf Championship (KAGC) series champion Samuel Njoroge of Kenya Railway Golf Club and Windsor’s Rizwan Charania by one shot.
Muthaiga Golf Club's Greg Snow tees off from 18th tee during the fourth day of first leg of Safari Tour golf series at Limuru Country Club on October 7, 2020.
Hopefully, this week’s second leg at Royal will produce better scores even though the players will still be carrying their own bags as they are still not allowed to use caddies due to challenges which organisers hope to sort out before the third leg at VetLab.
Long lay-off
But besides the long lay-off and absence of caddies, the pin positions at Limuru were not very friendly, but things will not be easier at Royal which is one of the longest courses in the country. Depending on how the course is set, an under par score may not be an easy task to achieve.
This week, the event has attracted Zimbabwe’s Robson Chinhoi, Malawi’s Paul Chidale and Philip Kasozi of Uganda who will join local players as they seek points towards the 2021 Magical Kenya Open.
Malawi's Paul Chidale follows the flight of his shot during the first round of the final leg of 2019/20 Safari Tour Golf Series at Karen Country Club on February 23, 2020.
Chinhoi, a good performer who featured in the 2019/2020 season, finished four shots behind Greg Snow at the Sigona leg on four under par 284 score, and tied fifth at Karen Country Club in the final leg to qualify for 2020 Kenya Open which was cancelled.
On the other hand, Uganda’s Philip Kasozi also had good season and although he was not able to win any event, he made several cuts to eventually qualify for the Magical Kenya Open. The two and others like Nigeria’s Andrew Odoh who won in Uganda, will need to play well this year to make more points in order to qualify for next year’s open.
Local players, among them Snow, Samuel Njoroge, Rizwan Charania, home player Eric Ooko, Golf Park's David Wakhu, Mathew Omondi, and veteran Dismas Indiza who missed cut at Limuru, are expected to put up a strong fight.
Another player to watch is VetLab Sports Club’s Robinson Owiti who played well at Limuru, finishing fourth. He was however disqualified for using non-sanctioned clubs, and lost more than 45 points in the Order of Merit and Sh52,000.
Owiti drawn to play
He has contacted the manufacturer of the two clubs to confirm if they conform to the rules.
“I will accept the decision if the manufacturers of the clubs confirm that they are no longer in use,’’ said an enraged Owiti, who is drawn to play at Royal.
Vet Lab Sports Club Robinson Owiti follows his shot from 18th hole fairway during the fourth day of first leg of Safari Tour golf series, at Limuru Country Club on October 7, 2020.
Joining the pros in the second leg of the Kenya Open Golf Limited-owned Safari Tour are seven amateurs, including former ladies champion Naomi Wafula from Kitale who says she is excited to get back to the Tour.
Other amateurs will be Paul Muchangi of Limuru, Muthaiga’s Mutahi Kibugu, and Taimur Malik, Nyali’s Adel Balala, and home player Kevin Juma.
During the Limuru event, no amateur player made the second round cut.
With the 72-hole Kenya Amateur Stroke Play Championship also being held at Royal Nairobi from October 21 to 24, the Safari Tour second leg at Royal Club is a great opportunity for the amateurs to test the Royal course and also use the event as a final build-up.
