Golf: Muthaiga bag Nairobi District Foursomes title

Muthaiga Golf Club’s pair of former captain Khushil Nathwani and Neer Chandaria claimed a dominant 6-5 victory over Railway’s John Lejirmah and former Railway captain Edward Manywanda in the final of this year’s Nairobi District Foursomes at the par-71 Muthaiga Golf Club on Sunday.

The Muthaiga duo’s win was convincing, as the Railway pair, who had eliminated defending champions Kiambu’s Michael Karanga and Steve Kiaro during Saturday’s quarterfinals, failed to replicate their usual performance.

“We did not play as well as we did in the previous matches, and Khushil and Chandaria took full advantage of our weaknesses. All the same, Muthaiga played well and they definitely deserved to win,” said national team captain Lejirmah.

Prior to the final, Nathwani and Chandaria triumphed 2-up against Golf Park’s Sammy Mulama and Peter Macharia in the morning’s semifinals. Lejirmah and Manywanda advanced to the final after defeating Vet Lab’s Carl Wambasi and rising star Steve Orinda 4-3 in the other semifinal.

“We are even surprised we reached this far, as I have not played golf since November, and the last time Neer played was during the Patron’s Cup in August. We just met on Monday and did a bit of practice, with our goal being to qualify for the match play proper, which we did by finishing fifth,” said Nathwani.

Nathwani added that their confidence grew after defeating Ebill Omollo and Lee Njoroge in the quarterfinals. “That’s when we started to gather strength for the semis, and I would dedicate this victory to our families and Muthaiga members,” he added.

The champions gained an early advantage, taking the lead at the fifth hole after halving the first four holes with bogeys and pars. They further extended their lead after taking the seventh and eighth holes, reaching the back nine with a 3-up advantage.

Muthaiga went on to secure the title by taking the 10th and 11th holes. Despite a poor tee shot on the 12th, they halved the hole, and at the par-three 13th, Nathwani’s excellent shot to three feet from the pin sealed the win after Manywanda hit a disastrous shot into the water. The Muthaiga pair clinched victory with five holes to spare.

Their journey to the final began with a 4-2 victory against Karen’s Paul Kaguamba and Ali Mohamed in the round of 16. Lejirmah and Manywanda had earlier eliminated another Muthaiga pair of Bhavnish Chandaria and Maahir Patel with a 2-up win.

The last time Muthaiga won the Nairobi District Foursomes was in 2021, when Bo Ciera and long hitter Daniel Kiragu triumphed over Khushil Nathwani and Neer Chandaria in an all-Muthaiga final.

Speaking during the prize-giving ceremony, Kenya Golf Union (KGU) Chairman David Ndungu highlighted the importance of the Nairobi District Foursomes in preparing players for the national season.

He also acknowledged Limuru’s absence due to issues with their clubhouse, expressing hope that they would bounce back next year. "I hope what we’ve seen this weekend will be displayed during the forthcoming busy national calendar," Ndungu said.