Kenya’s junior golf team leaves for South Africa
Channelle Wangari of Kenya follows the progress of her tee during the Magical Kenya Ladies Open Golf Tournament Round Two at the Vipingo Ridge Course in Kilifi County on February 03, 2023.
What you need to know:
- The team of three boys and two girls will be joined by two other players--Chanelle Wangari, who will fly direct to South Africa from the United States, and Andrew Wahome, who is based in South Africa
- The team officials are Regina Gachora, President of the Junior Golf Foundation as head of delegation, Vincent Mukiri (team manager), and the President of Golf Kenya Philip Ochola
- During last year’s tournament held at the Lake Victoria Serena in Kigo Uganda, Kenya’s girls team finished third, while the boys team was placed sixth
Kenya’s junior golf team leaves early on Friday morning for Johannesburg, South Africa ready to tackle the rest of the African Countries in this year’s All Africa Junior Team Golf Championship to be held at Benoni Golf Country Club near Oliver Tambo International Airport.
Aboard national career Kenya Airways, the team of three boys and two girls will be joined by two other players--Chanelle Wangari, who will fly direct to South Africa from the United States, and Andrew Wahome, who is based in South Africa.
Those flying on Friday will be Kevin Anyien, Krish Beiju Shah, and Junaid Manji, while the girls are Audrey Gachora, and Bianca Ngecu. They will be accompanied by the two coaches John Patrick van Liefland and John Wangai Chege who have been preparing the team since March.
The team officials are Regina Gachora, President of the Junior Golf Foundation as head of delegation, Vincent Mukiri (team manager), and the President of Golf Kenya Philip Ochola.
During last year’s tournament held at the Lake Victoria Serena in Kigo Uganda, Kenya’s girls team finished third, while the boys team was placed sixth. This year, the juniors have been in training for the past five months thus expected to perform better this time around.
Of last year’s boys team, only Shah and Junaid remained in the team while those who were in the girls at Serena last year, are Chanelle Wangari and Audrey Gachora.
The JGF President meanwhile thanked the JGF title sponsors NCBA Bank, travel partner Kenya Airways and new sponsor ICEALION for supporting junior golf in the country saying the juniors are going to South Africa with the sole purpose of qualifying for the Toyota World Junior Golf Cup to be held in Japan in June.
Meanwhile, Muthaiga Golf Club’s Shashwat Harish was in a class of his own during the 2024 Kabete Open Junior Golf Championship which ended on Wednesday at the par 72 Vet Lab Sports Club Course.
Harish, who made a slow start by posting six over par 78 in the open round on Tuesday, returned 75 gross in each of the last two rounds, for a 54-hole total of 228 gross to take the overall title. In the girls section, Vet Lab Sports Club’s Belinda Wanjiru carded 259 gross made up of 86, 85 and 88 to top the girls list.
In the boys 19 to 21 division, Joshua Maina fired a total of 239 gross to win ahead of Otieno Kelly on 259 gross. Leading in the boys Class B (16 to 18) Mathu Kiunjuri took the first prize with a score of 245 followed in second place by Ryan Mutinda on 247.
In the same division for the girls saw Cherise Wachira of Royal topping the list with a score of 273, winning ahead of Kuria Hazel on 275 gross. Taking the top honours in the Boys 14 to 15 was Sigona’s Soni Tsevi on 234, winning by five shots from Maahir Patel on 239. The Girls title went to Cherono Kipkorir on 267. She beat Navya Nagda by two shots.
There was a stiff competition between Royal’s Mwathi Gicheru and Justin Ngeera in the Class D (13 Years and Under) where Gicheru took the first prize after returning 246 gross against Ngeera’s 249.
And as expected, Kanana Muthomi continued dominating in the 13 years and under girls category where she fired 263 gross to win by three shots from Brianna Ngecu on 269.
