Stroke Play Championship: Lejirmah powers his way to the top

Former champion John Lejirmah charged his way to the top of the Kenya Amateur Stroke Play Championship leader board alongside Vet Lab Sports Club’s Isaac Makokha going into Sunday’s final round of the at the tough playing Baobab Course, Vipingo Ridge in Kilifi County.

Day one leader Sammy Mulama dropped to third place after picking an eight at the par five-11th after hitting the ball to the bush twice.

Lejirmah, from Kenya Railway Golf Club and a former Uganda Open amateur champion, shot so far the best round in the tournament, a level par 72 for a three rounds total 11 over par 227.

This is a poor score going by the standards of the event where some of the players were unhappy with the pin positions considering the wind factor which naturally makes the PGA Baobab course difficult.

Lejirmah birdied the stroke index-two par five-sixth, and the short-hole eighth having dropped a shot at the fourth.

He then bogeyed the 10th but parred the rest to jump to the top to share the lead with the 2022 Deaflympics bronze medallist Makokha, a former Kenya Amateur Match Play champion.

Makokha shot four over par 76 to remain at the top.

“It’s a very challenging course, where one has to be extra careful where you place your shot," said Makokha, who missed several birdie chances in the opening nine.

He dropped shots at the second, third and fifth holes though he managed a two at the par three-17th but against two bogeys at the 12th and 16th.

Day one leader Mulama also bogeyed the 12th, 14th and 17th, though he had played a level par front nine which included a birdie at the second home, though he closed with a bogey.  He had pushed his approach shot to the water at the ninth.

“The pins are very tight with little room for mistakes, most of them almost impossible to attack. I have played here many times but I have not found this course as difficult playing as it is at the moment," said Mulama, who dropped to third with a 54-hole total of 13 over par though still with a good chance to find his way back to the top at the close of the tournament.

Defending champion Adel Balala, who was expected to play well being at home at Vipingo, shot an awful 77 to wind up the day in fourth place on 14 over par 230.

He will need to produce a low score in the closing round if he would like to retain the title where the winner will earn an automatic entry to the 2023 Magical Kenya Open.

A total of 49 players had made the second round cut in the event where at stake is the Kenyatta Memorial Bowl, some points towards the Kenya Amateur Golf Championship (KAGC) series as well as World Amateur Rankings.

This year, the tournament is being sponsored by Kenya Golf Union, Vipingo Ridge, Kilifi Mall, Betika, CIC Group and the Diamond Dreams of Africa Hotels as well as the Kilifi County Government among others.

The Leader Board:

John Lejirnah 77, 78, 72= 227

Isaac Makokha 75, 76, 76= 227

Sammy Mulama 74, 77, 78= 229

Adel Balala 80, 73, 77= 230

John Timbe 77, 79, 77= 233

Michael Alunga (Ug) 80, 79, 75=234

Jay Sandhu 80, 83, 72= 235

Dennis Maara 77, 76, 82= 235