Vipingo Ridge hosts 76 amatuers for Strokeplay Championship
By edwin-otieno, October 19, 2022
Preparations are complete ahead of the 45th edition of the Kenya Amateur Strokeplay Championship “Kenyatta Memorial Bowl” which is set to tee off tomorrow at the Vipingo Ridge Golf course and it will run to Sunday.
According to the organisers, this year’s event which begins on Mashujaa Day, will be held in memory of Kenya’s First President, The Late Jomo Kenyatta. The trophy was first presented in 1978 by Kenya Golf Union (KGU) first African Chairman Chris Kahara (1978/79) and Col. M.J. Harbage-KGU Chairman (1977/78).
The event is sponsored by the Kenya Golf Union, Vipingo Ridge Golf Resort, Kilifi Mall, CIC Group, Naivas, Betika, PharmaPlus, The Shoe Shine Guys, and the County Government of Kilifi.
The four-round tournament has attracted 76 elite amateurs drawn from 18 golf clubs in Kilifi, Nairobi, Kiambu, Mombasa, Uasin-Gishu, Nandi, Nakuru, and Machakos counties. The event has also attracted players from Uganda Golf Club, Dar Es Salaam Gymkhana and Jaeren Golf Club- Norway.
The entry list includes the current leading amateur Jay Sandhu of Muthaiga Golf Club, defending Champion Adel Balala of Nyali Golf & Country Club, and the Kenya Amateur Matchplay Champion-Dennis Maara of Limuru Country Club. Among other players that have submitted their entries include Daniel Kiragu of Muthaiga Golf Club and Isaac Makokha of Vet Lab Sports Club.
The players will be contesting for Kenya Amateur Golf Championship points, World Amateur Golf Ranking points and the overall prize. The KGU Chairman Mr. Njani Ndiritu announced the introduction of cash prizes for the event in line with the revised regulations by the R&A which allow amateur golfers to win cash prizes to a maximum limit of Sh 115,000. The winner of the event gets an automatic entry to the 2023 Magical Kenya Open subject to meeting the DP World Tour requirements.
The Tournament Director Philip Ochola, mentioned that the plans for the event are all set. He added that there will be a subsidiary tournament on Saturday, which is open to golfers across the country, including ladies and juniors.