Kiambu's Karanga, Kiaro clinch Nairobi District Foursomes

Kiambu Golf Club’s team of Michael Karanga and Steve Kiaro put up a brave fight to beat Vet Lab Sports Club’s pair of Ebill Omollo and Lee Njoroge 3-1 in the 2024 Nairobi District Foursomes finals at the par 71 Muthaiga Golf Club course on Sunday.

But what a dramatic final match it was between the two teams, as at the first five holes, Omollo and Njoroge were four up. They won the first hole with a par after Karanga hit the second shot to the right rough.

Though his partner Kiaro managed to come out, Karanga missed the par. Then they lost the second and third holes on birdies, and the fourth with a par. They halved the fifth with pars, but Kiambu won the sixth easily when Njoroge, who was at the short rough, returned the ball at the wrong place after picking it up to clean.

Kiambu took the eighth hole with a par, then at the ninth, Karanga fired to about a foot from the pin to win with a birdie.

The two teams then halved the 10th, while Kiambu won the 11th. It was on the 13th when Vet Lab’s Omollo went to the water giving Kiambu a chance to go up for the first time, and made it 2-1 on the 15th then Vet Lab drove to the water on the 17th where Kiambu’s Karanga put his second shot to about five feet from the pin. His partner Kiaro missed the birdie, but they gave for a par for a  3-1 win.

This was Kiambu’s first victory since 1984 when the team was made up of Michael Karanga’s grandfather, Michael Karanga Mwaura and George Ndegwa. The club had won its first Nairobi District Foursomes in 1933.

“It’s a great feeling considering the way we started, going down by four holes in the first five holes. I didn’t think we would be able to recover the four holes, though the turning point was when we reduced the margin to only three at the sixth hole," said Karanga.

During the morning’s semi-finals, Kiambu had beaten Golf Park’s Josphat Rono and Peter Macharia 5-4, while the Vet Lab pair had won 3-1 against Railway’s John Lejirmah and Edward Manywanda.

Well before that, Omollo and Njoroge had beaten Muthaiga’s Kavit Bhakoo and John Gitonga 6-5 after a 3-2 victory against Daniel Kiragu and F. Njoroge also from Muthaiga.

Karanga and Kiaro started their campaign with a close-fought match between them and Ruiru Sports Club’s Chris Andrea and Rafael Lemingáni, winning at the 20th.

On Saturday afternoon, Karanga and Kiaro beat their clubmates Elvis Muigua and Mike Ngene 3-2 to qualify for the semis.

“This is a good start for the 2024 season for us and I must thank my partner Kiaro for putting up a brave fight. It has taken 40 years for Kiambu to win the Nairobi District Foursomes title," added Karanga.