Hello

Your subscription is almost coming to an end. Don’t miss out on the great content on Nation.Africa

Ready to continue your informative journey with us?

Hello

Your premium access has ended, but the best of Nation.Africa is still within reach. Renew now to unlock exclusive stories and in-depth features.

Reclaim your full access. Click below to renew.

Subscribe for a month to get full access

Lejirmah takes early lead at Railways event

Dennis Maara and John Lejirmah

Dennis Maara (right) follows the progress of his tee shot from 18th hole tee, as John Lejirmah looks on during the fourth leg of the Kenya Amateur Golf Championship Series, the Winston Churchill Cup, at Thika Sports Club on April 01, 2023. 

Photo credit: Chris Omollo | Nation Media Group

By  Larry Ngala

Reporter

NMG Sport

What you need to know:

  • Lejirmah, Kenya’s top amateur golfer, set off with two quick birdies in the opening nine, dropped a shot at the par four third, but managed to par the next five holes, birdied the ninth to turn to the back nine with two under par
  • Kimanzi had a bad start, dropping three shots in the first four holes, but made two birdies at the fifth and ninth but with a bogey in between, then birdied the 10th and 18th, but with double-bogey at the par four-14th
  • National team captain Dennis Maara was a shot behind on 75, same as Sammy Mulama and the current leader in the 2023 Kenya Amateur Golf Championship (KAGC) series Michael Karanga of Kiambu Golf Club

Home player John Lejirmah produced the day’s best round of two under par 70, to take a four shots lead in the opening round of the 2023 Railway Invitational golf tournament at the par 72 Kenya Railway Golf Club course on Friday.

Lejirmah, Kenya’s top amateur golfer, set off with two quick birdies in the opening nine, dropped a shot at the par four third, but managed to par the next five holes, birdied the ninth to turn to the back nine with two under par.

He birdied the 10th but dropped a shot at the 11th, double-bogeyed the par three-13th, but he was able to recover with two birdies at the 14th and 16th , to lead the group of Fidhelis Kimanzi and Dr Paul Ngugi, both Railway players, and Rafael Leming’ani all of whom shot two over par 74 each.

Also Read

Kimanzi had a bad start, dropping three shots in the first four holes, but made two birdies at the fifth and ninth but with a bogey in between, then birdied the 10th and 18th, but with double-bogey at the par four-14th.

Ngugi on the other hand, dropped two shots at the third and ninth, birdied the 10th and 12th and a late one at the 16th but dropped shots at the 11th, 13th and 14th.

The off-scratch Leming’ani birdied the second and 16th holes, against bogeys on the fifth and seventh and at the 11th and 12th to also close the day on 74.

National team captain Dennis Maara was a shot behind on 75, same as Sammy Mulama and the current leader in the 2023 Kenya Amateur Golf Championship (KAGC) series Michael Karanga of Kiambu Golf Club.

A total of 75 players turned up for the 54-hole event which also counts towards the World Amateur Golf Rankings.

A total of Sh470,000 is at stake, courtesy of title sponsors NCBA Bank and the supporting sponsors Kenya Railway Corporation, Crown Paints, and Telkom Kenya.

The field included the oldest player in this year's Series, 60-year-old Engineer Robert Njoroge and the 13-year-old Shashwat Harish of Karen Country Club, one of the most promising young players in the country.Teeing off for the second round is set for 7am on Saturday.

In the headlines