-He will try to overcome the likes of defending champion and Kenya’s top amateur Michael Karanga, current leader in the KAGC series John Lejirmah, Nyali’s Adel Balala, and teenager Elvis Muigua on the Kenyan side;
PAUL ANTHONY CHOME-GOLF NEWSLINKS-NAIROBI;
America based Ugandan international amateur golfer Michael Alunga is on the line-up at Windsor to try and capture the Kenya Amateur Match Play Golf Championship this weekend at Windsor Golf Hotel and Country Club in Nairobi, Kenya.
The tournament sanctioned by the Kenya Golf Union (KGU), will commence from Thursday, July 11th to Sunday July 14th, 2024 and has drawn a diverse field of 78 players from Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, United Kingdom, India, and South Africa.
The Championship is exclusively open to male participants this year, and therefore, female competitors will not be taking part and the winner will have an automatic slot to play in the 2025 Magical Kenya Open.
Alunga who took the Kenyan golf scene by storm during the 2022 Kenya Amateur Golf Championship (KAGC) series where he captured three titles, has been around to try and play in at least six tournaments in Kenya before flaying back to his based in Livingstone College in Salisbury North Carolina.
He has already played two events in Kenya since he arrived, starting with the Goldfields trophy in Kakamega and the Limuru Open where he did not however play well.
Besides the Match Play, Alunga would also like to try his luck in the Stroke Play Championship as well as the Karen Challenge.
But the 27 years old Alunga who in 2022 won the Malindi Open, Manchester Salver and the Tea fields Trophy, will try to overcome the likes of defending champion and Kenya’s top amateur Michael Karanga.
Others includes current leader in the KAGC series John Lejirmah, Nyali’s Adel Balala, and teenager Elvis Muigua on the Kenyan side.
Other international players also yearning for the Match Play title includes Alunga’s compatriots Joseph Cwinyaai, former Uganda champion Andrew Ssekibejja, Ibra Bagalana, and Joseph Kasozi who have been camping here in Kenya for the past two years trying to capture one of the major golf titles and in particular since another Ugandan top amateur Godfrey Nsubuga also left for the USA.
During the 2023 season Nsubuga clinched the Kiambu Open and the grand finale of the season, the Nyali Open.
However, because of the big field of 79 players, the players will have to battle it out in an 18 holes stroke play round to book their slots in the match play proper which is open to the top 32 players.
Kenya Golf Union Vice Chairman Chris Kinuthia who is also the KGU tournament director paid tribute to title sponsors NCBA Bank for their sponsorship.
“We are immensely grateful to NCBA bank for their steadfast support in providing a platform where our elite amateurs can thrive and potentially earn a livelihood’’ said Kinuthia.
The NCBA Kenya Amateur Match Play Championship promises thrilling competition and a showcase of top-tier golfing talent, affirming its position as a cornerstone event in the regional amateur golfing calendar.
NCBA Group is a full-service banking group providing a broad range of financial products and services to corporate, institutional, SME, and consumer banking customers and operates a network of more than 100 branches in five countries including Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, and Ivory Coast.
Serving over 60 million customers, the NCBA Group is the largest banking group in Africa by customer numbers. NCBA Bank Kenya PLC is Kenya’s third-largest bank by assets.
The Bank is set to play a key role in supporting Africa’s economic ambitions and is a market leader in Corporate Banking, Asset Finance, and Digital Banking.
The Draw for the 18-hole stroke Play Qualifying Round;
First Tee; 7:00 S. Orinda, C. Konzolo, J. Kamais; 7:10 S. Kairu, J. Wanjiru, S. Harish; 7:20 E. Wafula, D. Maara, K. Shah; 7:30 J. Sandhu, K. Sharma, A. Muita; 7:40 J. Byiringiro, Y. Rajput, J. Lejirma; 7:50 J. Koina, L. Kimathi, F. Dusabe; 8:00 F. Mwangi, K. Kiplenge, S. Dorward; 8:10 P. Musimba, T. George, S. Kiaro; 8:20 A. Bhandari, A. Shah, E. Omollo; 8:30 T. Soni, J. Cwinyaai, D. Kavia; 8:40 D. Evans, C. Wambasi, K. Nathwani; 8:50 A. Balala, B. Omondi, R. Mutinda; 9:00 W. John, M. Alunga, R. Malde; Tenth Tee; 7:00 A. Merali, C. Too, K. Joseph; 7:10 L. Njoroge, A. Omooria, P. Muchangi; 7:20 I. Makokha, H. Shah, E. Maina; 7:30 T. Gudhka, E. Muigua, M. Thacker; 7:40 P. Kavia, M. Karanga, J. Maina; 7:50 K. Gicheru, N. Alain, P. Kapur; 8:00 M. Kihara, S. Matharu, A. Muhoro; 8:10 S. Mulama, I. Bagalana, A. Vara; 8:20 H. Jean D’amour, N. Obardi, D. Chesumei; 8:30 A. Ssekibejja, E. Wekesa, K. Wissanji; 8:40 T. Okwong, P. Waiharo, A. Mwangi; 8:50 A. Odongo, N. Didas, R. Leming’ani; 9:00 C. Owuor, J. Rono, A. Chandaria.
ENDS;
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