Safaricom Tour Golf Series reaches halfway stage

The 14-event Safaricom Tour Golf Series enters its halfway stage with the seventh leg at the par 72 Karen Country Club course on Friday.

The tour, which also includes a junior section, was launched on January 22 at the semi-public Golf Park club, and held its first leg a week later at Nanyuki Sports Club.

Since then, it has moved to Limuru, Muthaiga, Nyanza, Machakos and Eldoret Golf Club in the North Rift Region.

The seventh leg at Karen is the first one being staged on a weekday, which means the junior event and the golf coaching clinic for juniors,who are being introduced to the game for the first time, will be held on Saturday.

From Karen, action will then switch to Nyali Golf and Country Club Mombasa on May 21.

Friday’s event has attracted a field of 200 players, while 80 juniors will be in action on Saturday.

They will be vying for the prizes being offered, plus a trip to the grand finale in Vipingo in August for the overall men and lady winner.

Those drawn include some of the club’s leading players such as Gilbert Maina, Paul Kaguamba, Emmanuel Agengo, Anthony Gacheru, Mike Kingori, Owino Ayodo and Raymond Nyamweya among others.

Most of these are single figure handicap golfers and the Safaricom Golf Tour being played in the Stableford format, save for the junior events, the single figure players will have to bring under par score if they would like to feature in the list of those who will be heading to Vipingo for the grand finale.

Among the ladies drawn include Betty Gacheru, Rhodah Mwebesa, Njeri Onyango, Louisa Gitau and Wayua Mululu among many others.

Teeing off for those drawn in the morning section gets under way from 8am and at 12 noon for those drawn in the afternoon.

So far 2000 golfers have participated in the first six events of the series, same as the juniors, and as the series continues in the various clubs in the country, more players are expected to join the chase for the trip to Vipingo in August.

“It is really exciting to host our seventh leg of the tour at Karen. I am glad to see how our golf series continues to identify, tap and nurture new talents, especially at the regional level. This indeed proves that what many of our young people need is an avenue where they can showcase their talent,” said Peter Ndegwa, Safaricom CEO.  

Besides the junior events and the golf clinics, Junior Golf Foundation (JGF), which signed a partnership with Safaricom last year, has been using the series to sign up new members.

Juniors who are not yet members of JGF can join this Saturday by paying Sh1,000 fee and received membership cards, which will give them access to any golf club in the country.