Kiambu youngster Muigua takes early lead at Sigona Bowl
Elvis Muigua follows the progress of his tee shot from 18th hole tee during Winston Churchill Cup at Thika Sports Club on April 1, 2023.
What you need to know:
- Playing in the morning draw, Muigua got off well, picking up six straight pars up to the seventh hole where he dropped a shot after laying up
- At the back nine, Lejirmah dropped a shot at the 12th, but picked up a two at the par four-up-hilly 17th hole
- Former national team captain Francis Kimani closed the day in third place with one over par 73 made of three birdies and four bogeys
Junior amateur champion Elvis Muigua of Kiambu Golf Club produced an impressive four under par 68, to claim to the top of the leaderboard as the 65th edition of Sigona Bowl got underway at the par 72 Sigona Golf Club course on Friday.
Playing in the morning draw, Muigua got off well, picking up six straight pars up to the seventh hole where he dropped a shot after laying up. He however cancelled that bogey with two closing birdies at the eighth and ninth. Thereafter, Muigua birdied the 10th, 15th and 16th holes.
“Besides the seventh hole, I had a good game as the course is in good shape and easy to make birdies if you stay on course,’’ said Muigua from Kiambu Golf Club.
He led by four shots from Kenya Railway Golf Club’s John Lejirmah who shot level par 72.
Lejirmah parred eight holes at the front nine where the only bogey came from the fourth. At the back nine, Lejirmah dropped a shot at the 12th, but picked up a two at the par four-up-hilly 17th hole.
Former national team captain Francis Kimani closed the day in third place with one over par 73 made of three birdies and four bogeys.
Meanwhile, three other players including defending champion Michael Karanga tied for the fourth place on two over par 74. Others are Karen’s Nick Markham, and Muthaiga Golf Club’s Fred Njoroge.
Karanga birdied four holes at the front nine, but with an equal number of bogeys, while at the back nine, Karanga dropped a shot at the 10th, and 14th, missed a number of birdie chances.
Njoroge was the first one to post 74 after picking up three early birdies at the front nine. He however dropped four shots.
Of the four ladies who joined the men in the field of 154 players in the NCBA Bank-sponsored event, Tanzania’s Madina Iddy and Nancy Wairimu tied for 19th place with six men on six over par 78.
They will need to work extra hard in the second round on Saturday if they would like to make to the money list on Sunday.
