Kiambu's Karanga walks away with Coronation Trophy

Kiambu's Karanga walks away with Coronation Trophy

What you need to know:

  • Omollo meanwhile, recovered from a first hole bogey to post one over par 74 and a total of eight over 227.
  • But back at his opening nine, Omollo dropped two more shots at the fifth and seventh and later on at the 12th and 13th, but in between he managed to squeeze in birdies at the sixth and ninth, and finished strongly with birdies at the 15th and 16th holes.

Kiambu Golf Club’s Michael Karanga Sunday produced a superb bogey-free seven under par 66 in the closing round of the Coronation Trophy at the hilly par 73 Nakuru Golf Club course to claim his fifth title in the Kenya Amateur Golf Championship (KAGC) series.

“I am very proud of myself as this win here has given me and my colleagues in the national team the confidence we need as we fly out to Ethiopia tomorrow morning," said Karanga, whose final round gave him a three-day total of five under par 214, beating both Ebill Omollo of Vet Lab Sports Club and the national team captain Dennis Maara by a total of 13 shots.

For his win, Karanga got 120 points and Sh92,500, while Omollo and Maara earned 40 and 48 points and a Sh46,250 each for tying second place, courtesy of KAGC title sponsors NCBA Bank, who were supported this time by Moi University and EABL among others.

“This event has given us a good practise and final preparation for the Africa Region Four Championship. Playing under par was good, and I hope those people we are competing against in Ethiopia have gotten this news-particularly team Uganda," bragged Karanga.

In his bogey-free final round, Karanga, a grandson of a veteran professional golfer Michael Karanga Mwaura, picked up birdies at the sixth and ninth, eagled the 13th at the back nine where he also birdied the 16th and 18th.

Omollo meanwhile, recovered from a first hole bogey to post one over par 74 and a total of eight over 227.

But back at his opening nine, Omollo dropped two more shots at the fifth and seventh and later on at the 12th and 13th, but in between he managed to squeeze in birdies at the sixth and ninth, and finished strongly with birdies at the 15th and 16th holes.

The national team captain Maara started well firing in a birdie three at the up-hilly par four-first hole, but made a double bogey at the second hole and dropped another shot at the long par four-third.

He however managed to pull back two birdies at the fifth and sixth. It was however the bogeys at the 13th, 16th and 17th which denied him a second place on his own despite a birdie finish at the 18th hole.

The final leader board

Michael Karanga 74, 74, 66= 214

Ebill Omollo 78, 75, 74= 227

Dennis Maara 71, 80, 76= 227

John Koina 78, 75, 77= 230

Josphat Rono 77, 72, 82=231

Nelson Koech75, 78, 79= 232

Rafael Lemingani 71, 84, 77= 232.