Lejirmah, Muigua tie at the top in Nyeri’s day two
Kenya's John Lejirmah fires to the 17th green during the third round of the five-nations Africa Golf Confederation Region 4 golf Championship at the par-71 Addis Ababa Golf Club course on June 09, 2023.
What you need to know:
- Lejirmah, from Kenya Railway Golf Club, fired a bogey-free three under 33 front nine which included three birdies at the third, fifth and sixth.
Golfer Of the Year 2022 John Lejirmah put up a brave fight, producing a four under par 68 in day two of the 2023 Mt Kenya Golf Championship, to join Kiambu’s Elvis Muigua at the top of the leader board going into Sunday’s third and final round of the NCBA Bank sponsored tournament at the par 72 Nyeri Golf Club course.
Lejirmah, from Kenya Railway Golf Club, fired a bogey-free three under 33 front nine which included three birdies at the third, fifth and sixth.
He then dropped his first shot in the round by bogeying at the par five-12th , made two successive pars thereafter, then came the eagle three at the par five-15th popularly known as “Kerio Valley’’.
He followed that with a birdie at the down-hilly par four- 16th and despite dropping a shot at the par three-18th, his four under par 68 was good enough to carry him to the top with a two rounds total of two under par 142, join the Kiambu teenager Muigua who shot three over par 75, a round that included a double at the same hole that Lejirmah had eagled, and closed the round with a bogey.
Muigua who had bogeyed the sixth hole in a nine that included eight pars, then made his only birdie of the day at the 14th hole, for a two rounds total of 142. Muthaiga Golf Club’s Taimur Malik made a good move to third place on his own after posting one under par 71 for a level par 144.
Taimur like Lejirmah, carded a bogey-free first nine that included a birdie at the sixth, but bogeyed the 11th and a late one at the 17th though he managed to level the nine after picking up an eagle at the 15th.
Nyali’s Charles Rob remained in fourth place for the day with two over par 146. He made a double at the par four-seventh, closed the nine with a bogey at the ninth having made only one birdie earlier at the sixth. He started the back nine with a birdie at the 10th, then parred the rest for the day’s 73.
A total of 36 players made their way through to the final round, after making the 22 over par and better cut.
What a lucky day it was for Nyahururu Sports Club’s James Macharia who started the tournament with an awful 90, then he fired four over par 76 to knock-out defending champion Chris Andrea of Ruiru, Njoro Country Club’s David Otuke and Thika Sports Club’s John Kariuki.
Andrea and Otuke had posted 79 while Kariuki brought home 81.
The Leader board;
John Lejirmah 74, 68= 142
Elvis Muigua 67, 75= 142
Taimur Malik 73, 71-= 144
Charles Rob 73, 73= 146
Isaac Makokha 76, 71= 147
Rafael Leming’ani 74, 73= 147
John Timbe 79, 71= 150
Dennis Maara 77, 73=150
Adel Balala 79, 72= 151
