-His country mate Audrey Gachora was the star in the highly competitive Girls’ 15-18 years old category;
DOUGLAS MWALE-IMG KENYA LIMITED;
Kenya’s Shashwat Harish returns to school after delivering a masterclass in this year’s NCBA Kenya Junior golf invitational tournament to emerge as the tournament’s best performer with a phenomenal score of 10 under par 206 gross in the Boys’ 13-14 years’ category.
This was during the final three days’ rounds of the tournament that ended on Monday evening at the Windsor golf hotel and country club in Nairobi, Kenya which attracted 116 junior golfers from ten countries across Asia, Africa, and Europe.
Shashwat’s dominance was unmatched, as he posted rounds of 70, 70, and an exceptional 66 gross on the final day to emerge top.
“The course was in pristine condition, which made it easier for me and the other golfers. This tournament is the best score I have finished with; the other best score I did was a par, so I am very happy to achieve such results. It was not easy physically, but I made sure to be ready mentally for this tournament. I look forward to more such opportunities to better my game,” said Shashwat.
He finished with a remarkable 23 strokes ahead of his nearest competitor Aidan Gachora, who was second with 13-over par 229gross.
Tied for third place were Shashank Gadre from Uganda and Kenya’s Mwathi Gicheru, both scoring 14-over par 230 gross.
In the highly competitive Girls’ 15-18 years old category, Kenya’s Audrey Gachora emerged as the star, displaying consistent brilliance across three rounds by finishing with a total fifteen-over-par 231 gross.
“The competition was very tough this year, but I really enjoyed playing and posting very good results. I am delighted to have emerged top in my category, and also earning World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) points. My goal is to continue improving my game this year and beyond with the hope of lowering my handicap and hopefully turning professional later,” said Audrey Gachora.
She overcame fierce competition from fellow Kenyan golfers Maryam Mwakitawa, who came in second with a score of 18-over par 234 gross and Bianca Ngecu, who secured third place with a score of 22-over par 238 gross.
In the Boys’ 15-18 years old category, Kenya’s Tsevi Soni clinched victory with a total score of 8-over par 224 gross.
Soni’s three rounds 73, 78, 73 gross was enough to edge out Uganda’s Anthony Otokei, who finished just one stroke behind at 225 gross after an impressive second-round of 71 gross.
Kenya’s Nathan Mwangi and Dhruv Sanjay Patadia from Tanzania tied for third place with identical scores of 17 over par 233 gross.
The tournament also celebrated outstanding performances across other age categories. where in the Girls’ 13-14 division, Brianna Ngecu from Kenya claimed the top spot with over par 23 for 239 gross, followed by Yolanda Yu who had over par 27 and Uganda’s Harsshitha Loganathan with over par 35 gross.
Meanwhile, in the Girls’ 11-12 category, Siqian Yu showcased her skill and determination to secure first place with a total of over par 29 for 245 gross narrowly edging out Chloe Chiuri and Aria Dodhia, who tied for second at 246 gross each.
The Boys’ 11-year-old category saw Adam Nesbitt win with a score of 228 gross, outperforming South Africa’s Jordan Van Rooyen, who took second place with 250 gross and Kenya’s Armaan Chavda was third with 284 gross.
In the 8-year olds’ boys’ category, James Macakiage playing 9 holes, finished his round with a total of 5-under par 103 gross, ahead of Ugandan Dante Kawalya who finished on 3 over par 111 gross.
For the Boys’ 7-year-old category, also playing 9 holes, Surya Bongu was in a class of his own recording a score of 4-under par 104 gross a testament to his future potential.
Kenya Golf Union (KGU) Chairman David Ndungu said the tournament served as a critical platform for young golfers to showcase their talent and is a key event in the Kenyan Junior Golf Foundation (JGF) calendar offering participants the chance to earn Order of Merit points, World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) points, and US Kids Golf Priority Status.
He pointed out that these opportunities provide a gateway to prestigious Major Championships, Regional and International tournaments, and the renowned World Teen Championships.
“We thank all partners who have come together to give our junior golfers a platform to compete and showcase their talents. This is a sign of the great progress we are seeing with junior golf in Kenya. Our goal is to see some of our junior golfers participating in the Magical Kenya Open, and from the scores we have seen in this tournament, we are confident of that happening sooner, “said Ndungu.
Junior Golf Foundation (JGF) Kenya President Regina Gachora underscored the significance of the Tournament in advancing the sport of golf in the country.
“The competition has been really good over the three days, and we have seen an improvement in the scores that have been posted across the various categories,” she remarked. “It’s important for these young golfers to continue having these opportunities to better their skills and eventually play a role in raising the standards of golf in the country. We are delighted for the support we received for this year’s tournament from NCBA and all the other partners, “noted Gachora.
ENDS;
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