Madoya pulls level at the top with Ooko in Safari Tour
Justus Madoya chips his shot during the 022 Safari Tour Limuru leg at the par 72 Limuru Country Club course on January 25, 2022.
What you need to know:
- It was a fine outing for junior golfer Njoroge Kibugu, who made four birdies at the front nine against two bogeys and two birdies at the back nine, where he also dropped two shots to finish on two under par 70.
- That saw him jump from 25th place to joint eighth with Dismas Indiza, Mohit Mediratta, his elder brother Mutahi Kibugu and Rizwan Charania.
Uganda Open champion Justus Madoya Tuesday joined Golf Park’s Erick Ooko at the top of the leader board going into Wednesday’s final round of the 2022 Safari Tour Limuru leg at the par 72 Limuru Country Club course
One of the most consistent professional in the country, Madoya, shot one under par 71 to tie with Ooko on two under par 214.
“Today was one of those days I could not just get my putts in and it really cost what would have been a turning point for me in this event. And my worse hole was the 18th where I made three putts despite having shot a good approach shot," said Madoya from the Great Rift Valley Golf Resort in Naivasha.
The day was even worse for Ooko, who started off with a bogey at the par four-first, dropped two more at the fifth and seventh, and recovered only one shot at the ninth where he made his first birdie of the day.
He then picked up three birdies at the back nine which however included a bogey at the 13th that resulted in the day’s level par 72 to close the day on two under 214 and share the lead with Madoya.
The man to watch besides the two leaders is Zimbabwe’s Robson Chinhoi, who closed the day on level par 216 and just two shots adrift after firing an impressive three under par 69 in the third round.
Like Madoya, Chinhoi dropped only one shot at the par three-fifth hole where his nine-iron shot eventually denied him a clean round.
“I tried to hit a controlled nine-iron but instead I darted and that made me miss the green and obviously a chance for a birdie or a par. I still believe I have a good chance of playing well in the last round and win the tournament," said Chinhoi, who said the one-month break after the Uganda Open has made players post poor scores.
“Last year we were playing back-to-back and that is why the scores were very impressive’." added Chinhoi, who birdied the second, third, seventh and the 18th.
It was a fine outing for junior golfer Njoroge Kibugu, who made four birdies at the front nine against two bogeys and two birdies at the back nine, where he also dropped two shots to finish on two under par 70.
That saw him jump from 25th place to joint eighth with Dismas Indiza, Mohit Mediratta, his elder brother Mutahi Kibugu and Rizwan Charania.
The Leader board
Justus Madoya 71, 72, 71= 214
Erick Ooko 70, 72, 72= 214
Robson Chinhoi (Zim) 76, 71. 69= 216
Samuel Njoroge 70, 75, 72= 217
Mike Kisia 77, 68, 74= 219
Simon Ngige 76, 73, 72=221
Edwin Mudanyi 72, 73, 76= 221
