Wangai takes early lead in Royal Safari Tour
Sigona Golf Club John Wangai reacts after his tee shot from 10th tee during the first round of the second leg Safari Tour golf series, at Royal Nairobi Golf Club on October 12, 2020.
What you need to know:
- Starting with a bogey at the par four-first hole after blocking his tee-shot to the right, Wangai still managed to put his head down, to roll in birdie-putts over the second, third and seventh at the front nine, and two more at the 10th and 14th holes
- Wangai made two more birdies at the two back-to-back par five-14th and 15th for his 70, which put him a shot better than Zimbabwe’s Robson Chinhoi and Rwanda’s Alloys Nsabimana who both shot one under par 71 each
Professional Golfers of Kenya (PGK) captain John Wangai got off to a flying start, firing three under par 69, to grab a one shot lead in the first round of the Safari Tour golf series second leg at the par 72 Royal Nairobi golf course on Monday.
Starting with a bogey at the par four-first hole after blocking his tee-shot to the right, Wangai still managed to put his head down, to roll in birdie-putts over the second, third and seventh at the front nine, and two more at the 10th and 14th holes.
He however dropped a shot at the par four-11th after an excellent driver to the centre of the fairway. He pushed his sand-wedge to the right bunker. “The course is playing well, and easy to score if one is a bit aggressive. I am very happy with my first round score,’’ said Wangai.
Sigona Golf Club John Wangai lines up his putt at the 18th hole green during the first round of the second leg Safari Tour golf series, at Royal Nairobi Golf Club on October 12, 2020.
He finished the day, a shot better than Thika Greens Golf Resort-based Kopan Timbe who took off well, making early birdies at the second and fourth, bogeyed the sixth and eighth but with a birdie at the par five-seventh.
He made two more birdies at the two back-to-back par five-14th and 15th for his 70, which put him a shot better than Zimbabwe’s Robson Chinhoi and Rwanda’s Alloys Nsabimana who both shot one under par 71 each.
“My tee shots just let me down today though I have been practising well over the past few months. I was either driving to the left or right, and that made my approach shots rather difficult. I find the course long but very much okay even though it is my first time to play here at Royal,’’ said Chinhoi, one of the regional pros who had qualified for the cancelled 2020 Magical Kenya Open.
Zimbabwe's Robson Chinhoi tees off from 10th tee during the first round of the second leg Safari Tour golf series, at Royal Nairobi Golf Club on October 12, 2020.
He bogeyed the eighth after starting with a birdie at the first hole, and closed the nine with a birdie, then birdied the 15th and 17th but three putted the 18th.
The youngster Nsabimana on the other hand, bogeyed the first three holes at the outward nine, though he eagled the par five-seventh and made birdies at the 14th and 15th with his only bogey at the back nine coming at the 16th.
Alloys Nsabimana of Rwanda tees off from 10th tee during the first round of the second leg Safari Tour golf series, at Royal Nairobi Golf Club on October 12, 2020.
Five others including amateur Mutahi Kibugu, were bunched in fifth place on level par 72 while an equal number including the winner of the first leg at Limuru, Greg Snow and Malawi’s Paul Chidale were on one over par 73.
The second round, which will decide the top 20 and ties to proceed for the final two rounds, gets underway from 7.30am on Tuesday.
The leaderboard;
John Wangai 69
Kopan Timbe 70
Robson Chinhoi (Zim) 71
Alloys Nsabimana (Rw) 71
Simon Ngige 72
Hesbon Kutwa 72
Mutahi Kibugu(A) 72
Samuel Njoroge 72
Eric Ooko 72
