Long-hitting Adel Balala wins Kabete Open
Adel Balala at a past practice session at Royal Nairobi Golf.
What you need to know:
- Taking the first round gross was John Lejirmah on 71 and the second round went to Limuru’s Dennis Maara, who posted an impressive round of three under par 69, and Muthaiga’s Mutahi Kibugu took the third round gross on 73.
- Taking place along with the main event on Saturday and Sunday was a subsidiary stableford event which was won by Hellen Manyara, who posted 40 points to win by three points from Kariuki Njenga on 37, while the Sunday round winner was M. Walji with a score of 36 points, beating Jane Mwangi by one point.
Nyali Golf and Country Club’s Adel Balala Sunday beat Kiambu’s Michael Karanga by four shots to claim the 2021 Kabete Open golf title at the par 72 Vet Lab Sports Club course.
The long-hitter Balala, currently plying off plus one handicap, carded two under par 70 during Sunday’s final round for an all rounds total of two under par 214 gross.
He had posted level par 72 in each of the first two rounds of the Kenya Amateur Golf Championship (KAGC) series event, which also counts towards the World Amateur Golf Ranking.
On the other hand, Karanga, who also doubles as the Ndumberi Golf Club captain, started well firing one under par 71 in the first round played on Friday, though a 73 and 74 in the last two rounds saw him finish with an aggregate of 218 gross to eventually settle for the second place. Finishing in a distant third was Muthaiga’s Bo Ciera on 223.
It was however a bad finish for Kenya Amateur Match Play champion John Lejirmah of Railway, who after two impressive rounds of 71 and 70, carded an awful 82 in the closing round to tie for third place overall with Bo Ciera on 223.
Taking the overall nett title with a score of 212 nett was Godwin Karuga of Vet Lab, beating Simon Karari by one shot, while another Vet Lab player Carl Wambasi was third on 215 nett.
Taking the first round gross was John Lejirmah on 71 and the second round went to Limuru’s Dennis Maara, who posted an impressive round of three under par 69, and Muthaiga’s Mutahi Kibugu took the third round gross on 73.
Taking place along with the main event on Saturday and Sunday was a subsidiary stableford event which was won by Hellen Manyara, who posted 40 points to win by three points from Kariuki Njenga on 37, while the Sunday round winner was M. Walji with a score of 36 points, beating Jane Mwangi by one point.
