Muthaiga retain Tannahill Shield Seniors title at Royal

Limuru Country Club's Dennis Maara

Dennis Maara trains at Limuru Country Club on March 26, 2024 ahead of Tannahill Golf tournament. 

Photo credit: Chris Omollo | Nation Media Group

What you need to know:

  • Defending champions Muthaiga carded a total of 245 to bring the two-day total of 496 gross, having carded 251 gross during Monday’s opening round
  • Royal, who will host the main 99th Tannahill tournament starting Friday, had posted 264 and 254 for a total of 518 gross

Muthaiga Golf Club’s seniors retained the Tannahill Shield Seniors golf title at Royal Nairobi Golf Club on Tuesday.

During Tuesday’s second round of the Seniors event, defending champions Muthaiga carded a total of 245 to bring the two-day total of 496 gross, having carded 251 gross during Monday’s opening round, to beat hosts Royal by 22 shots.

Tuesday's round officially kicked off the 2024 Tannahill Shield tournament.

Royal, who will host the main 99th Tannahill tournament starting Friday, had posted 264 and 254 for a total of 518 gross.

Kenya Railway Golf Club finished third in the eight-team tournament, with 521 gross.

Karen Country Club were fourth with a score of 530 after beating Western Kenya on countback, while Mombasa was just a shot behind in sixth place.

Vet Lab Sports Club was placed seventh with 532 gross, and in eighth place was Sigona, whose first team will be defending the main Tannahill Shield title.

This year, the junior category of the tournament, which usually kicks off the Tannahill week, will be held next week after the main tournament on Sunday. This is to allow juniors who are still in school a chance to represent their clubs.

The winning team, Muthaiga, included former rugby star Evans Vitisia, Central Bank of Kenya Governor Kamau Thugge, Kumar Dhall, Martin Mwangi, and former Muthaiga chairman Mwai Mbuthia.

Others included Rajesh Bhabra, another former Muthaiga chairman, a one-time Finance Manager of Nation Media Group, former Kenya Pipeline Managing Director Selest Kilinda, and former Kenya number one amateur Wachira Mahihu.

The seniors event, an idea of the Jamii Telecommunications Limited (JTL) chairman Joshua Chepkwony, who is also the sponsor of the Tannahill Shield, has been taking place for the past three years, having been introduced in 2022 and Muthaiga has clinched the Shield back-to-back since then.

Muthaiga Golf Club captain Bo Ciera, who has played in the main Tannahill Shield several times, said: “It was and given the time and sacrifice these legends put in, to retain the Shield."

He said in the main event and the juniors, they aim to represent club members with maximum effort and competitiveness.