Vet Lab hosts ladies action
By edwin-otieno, October 7, 2022
Fresh from winning the Kenya Ladies Open Amateur Matchplay Championship last weekend, Mercy Nyanchama will be back in action tomorrow for the 83rd edition of the Eileen Belcher tournament at her home course of Vet Lab Golf Club.
Nyanchama who beat Nancy Wairimu 3/2 last weekend will once again come up against her tough opponent in the 54-hole competition which has attracted 96 lady golfers playing foursomes match play off-scratch for all three divisions.
Other top players expected to give Nyanchama a run for her money include home player Agnes Nyakio, youngster Chanelle Wangari and faith Chemutai of Nandi Bears.
The two-day event which was originally known as the Inter District Cup has attracted lady golfers from all over the country.
On its introduction in 1937, the cup was presented by Eileen in 1937 to encourage match-play between the districts. Belcher was the first Chairman of the Kenya Ladies Golf Union (KLGU) and over the years, the format has changed and is currently played in four zones. Each of the four zones is made up of several clubs forming a team of three pairs, with one reserve.
Scoring during the competition will be two points for a match won and one point for a match halved. Since 2021 the clubs have been zoned in four categories, Red Zone (Royal, Sigona and Western Region), Green Zone (Vetlab, Windsor, Railway and Central Region), Yellow Zone (Muthaiga, Limuru and Coast Region) and Blue Zone (Karen, Golf Park and Rift Valley Region).
The winners of Division A will be feted with the Eileen Belcher Trophy and must be players whose handicap index range from +5.0 to 14.0.
Sinclair Quaich award will present to the winners of Division B whose handicap index ranges between 11.3 and 20.4, while the Palmer Trophy will be presented to winners of Division C whose handicap index range from 20.5 to 28.9. The competition is played off a scratch handicaps.
The Sinclair Quaich was presented by Mary Sinclair, KLGU Chairman 1984. The Palmer Trophy was presented by Edward Palmer, in 1982, when his daughter Susan Harworth was KLGU Chairman. Edward Palmer is Eileen Belcher’s younger brother.