Karanga moves top of Kenya Amateur series

Kiambu Golf Club’s Michael Karanga is now firmly in the driving seat of the Kenya Amateur Golf Championship (KAGC) Series and the race to qualify for next year’s Magical Kenya Open. 

The 28-year-old toppled John Lejirmah from the top spot after retaining the Jamii Telcom Karen Challenge Sunday at the par 72 Karen Country Club. Karanga is top with 591.9 points, 18 points ahead of Railway golfer Lejirmah in the series which has 28 competitions. 

He said the victory has motivated him to go for more wins in the KAGC series with 12 events remaining. The winner of the series will qualify for the 2025 Magical Kenya Open.

“After losing the Kenya Amateur Match Play and the Stroke Play, I don’t have a choice but to retain the KAGC series Order Of Merit, which will assure me of a place in the Magical Kenya Open,” said Karanga, whose victory earned him Sh128,000 plus 70 points towards the KAGC Series Order of Merit.

“I am so delighted to retain my title, and in a new amateur course record, despite having made a slow start in the first two rounds,” said Karanga, who is currently ranked in 68th place in the world, and third in Africa behind South Africa’s Christiaan Mass and Tyran Synders.

Karanga started the day two shots behind round two leader Lejirmah, before producing a course record score of eight under par 64, to beat the Railway golfer by six shots.

Before Karanga’s record of 64, the amateur record was seven under par 65 set by Frenchman Romain Langsque during the 2016 Kenya Open. Langsque, who shot 15 under par to finish second behind winner Sebastian Soderberg of Sweden, later turned professional and has been doing well in the DP World Tour.

Karanga made an eagle two at the par four-first hole, and an eagle three at the par five-second hole, in addition to birdies on the fifth, sixth, and seventh. He made two more birdies at the back nine’s 12th and 14th.

That low round saw Karanga win the tournament with a total of six under par 210, a clear six shots from Lejirmah.

Lejirmah, who dropped three shots at the front nine before making four birdies at the back nine for level par 72, finished second with a total of level par 216, to take home Sh76,800 plus 41.99 points.

Nyali Golf and Country Club’s Adel Balala carded three under par 69 to finish third overall with a total of five over par 221.

It was a great performance for junior golfer Nathan Mwangi, who is also the Karen Country Club Match Play champion, after firing three over par 75 to finish fourth with eight over par 224.

The next event in the KAGC Series will be the Mt Kenya Championship at Nyeri Golf Club on August 30.