Golfer Jay Sandhu has attributed his success in the 48th Kenya Amateur Stroke Play Championship played at Vet Lab Sports Club in Nairobi on Sunday to his good knowledge of the course.
On Sunday, he shot level par 72 in the final round of the 48th Kenya Amateur Stroke Play Championship, for a four-round total of two over par 290 at Vet Lab Sports Club to win, effectively qualifying for the 2026 Magical Kenya Open Golf Championship that will be held at Muthaiga Golf Club.
The 44-year-old, who started his golfing career at Royal Nairobi as a junior before shifting to Muthaiga Club, said it was all down to learning how to play the tough pin positions right from the first day of the tournament.
“Knowing how to play tough pin positions right from day one helped me a great deal. I decided to focus on my putting, which has contributed greatly to my victory here,” Sandhu said.
“It feels great to have won the stroke play championship, and to get a chance to play in the Kenya Open Golf Championship. To do it at my home course is heart-warming,” Sandhu added.
Sandhu booked a place in the Kenya Open Golf Championship, a DP World Tour event, after beating Ndumberi’s Michael Karanga by one shot.
“It has been a tough weekend, playing against such a strong field, and very challenging pin positions. But I’m glad everything has ended well,” Sandhu, who was knocked out of the Kenya Amateur Match Play Championship by Royal’s John Lejirmah a week ago at the quarter-final stage in Sigona, said.
He took home Sh130,000 plus 300 points towards the KAGC series Order of Merit, where he is now ranked sixth with a total of 513 points.
Karanga, on the other hand, took home Sh78,000 plus 180 points for a total of 1584, just 436 points behind the leader John Lejirmah, who stays ahead with a total of 2020 points.
“My target now is to beat Lejirmah and retain the Order of Merit title for the third year running,” Karanga observed.
Starting the day with a bogey, Sandhu managed to birdie the fourth and fifth holes, dropped two shots at the seventh and eighth, then picked up birdies at the 10th and 13th and parred the rest.
His playing-mate Michael Karanga had a tough final round, dropping three shots at the front nine, and an awful seven at the par-four-10th, followed by another bogey at the 15th.
It was at the 17th hole where Karanga earned his first birdie of the day, which was followed by a closing one at the 18th for a 77 and three over par 291.
“My target now is to beat Lejirmah and retain the Order of Merit title for the third year running,’’ said Karanga, who blamed the tough pin positions for not making a double in the “golf majors’’.
Lejirmah tied for fifth place with Adel Balala, Elvis Muigua and Daniel Kiragu on 12 over par 300 gross.
Lejirmah tied in fifth place with Adel Balala, Elvis Muigua and Daniel Kiragu on 12 over par 300 gross.
Meanwhile, Park Seoyon was in a class of his own at the par 72 Karen Country Club course on Friday. Seoyon carded a total of 47 points to walk away with the overall prize during the Nairobi Hospital Charity golf tournament in support of Children with Congenital Heart Diseases.
He won by two shots from the men winner Daniel Cherono on 45 points. Sudhir Shah finished second in the men’s section on 44 points. The field of over 100 golfers included ladies who were led by C.N. Ribui on 41, just a point better than Diana Chepngeno.
