Star field for Muthaiga Open

A star field of 99 players including visiting golfers from Uganda and Tanzania will be parading at the par 71 Muthaiga Golf Club course which is currently in its best condition ever, for the 2021 edition of annual Muthaiga Open golf tournament.

The 54-hole tournament which forms part of the Kenya Amateur Golf Championship (KAGC) series, and the third leg this year following the Sigona Bowl and Mt Kenya Championship, had initially attracted an overwhelming field of 148 single figure handicap golfers and the organisers had to reduce the field to 99 based on handicap five and under.

And for the first time in the history of the event being sponsored this year by Turf Machinery and Irrigation Limited through the kind courtesy of club member Philip Ocholla, Muthaiga has introduced a cut after the first two rounds where only the top 48 players will proceed to the final round on Sunday.

Hence the Saturday rounds will be very competitive with each player trying to get a place in the third and final round of the event which besides the KAGC series, also counts towards the World Amateur Golf Ranking.

Currently Kiambu Golf Club’s Michael Karanga leads the pack in the KAGC series Order of Merit having won both the Sigona Bowl and Mt Kenya Championship. He is among those drawn at Muthaiga where he will be seeking his third straight victory.

Karanga is however expected to meet his strongest challenge so far particularly with the presence of players like Nyali Golf and Country Club’s Adel Balala, Uganda’s Joseph Chinywaai, Tanzania’s Victor Joseph, Railway’s John Lejirmah, and home players Bhavnish Chandaria, Anthony Irungu, Bo Ciera, Evans Vitisia, Kumar Dhall and club captain Kushil Nathwani.

Having been beaten twice by Karanga at Sigona and Nyeri, Nanyuki Sports Club’s Peter Rimui will be all out to stop Karanga’s domination of the series, while also seeking the Muthaiga Open title will be a host of youngsters. However missing the Muthaiga Open will be home players Mutahi Kibugu and his brother Njoroge Kibugu who have been featuring in a number of events along with Adel Balala.

Also missing in the draw is Limuru Country Club’s Paul Muchangi and two national champions Jay Sandhu of Royal and Isaac Makokha of Vet Lab. The two are probably playing in the last leg of the Safari Tour season three at Karen as they prepare for the Magical Kenya Open. All the same, this year’s Muthaiga Open promises some fireworks particularly with the course playing well.

Away in Machakos, club captain Joe Mboya who is in his second term is hosting the 2020 Captain’s prize being sponsored by Nescafe and Instabets, where a field of 116 players was drawn though the captain is still accepting more names through post entry. 

The course at the moment is also in an excellent condition as the club prepares for its second major event of the season, the Kenya Ports Authority Corporate golf tournament next weekend. “We have put everything in place to make sure that golfers enjoy themselves,’’ said Mboya.

Meanwhile action will also be at Ruiru, Vet Lab, Kiambu and Eldoret Golf clubs.

At Ruiru over 200 players will battle it out for the various prizes in the Monthly Mug, while Vet Lab will be the venue of the Valentine Shield with Kiambu staging the “Golf Team’’ tournament.

Away in Eldoret, a field of 100 players was drawn for the St. Andrew’s Turi School golf day.