Sigona win Tannahill Shield junior title

Sigona Golf Club’s junior team beat Vet Lab Sports Club by 12 shots to clinch the Tannahill Shield juniors title at the par 72 Royal Nairobi Golf Club course on Tuesday.

Starting the final round with a 12 shots lead, Sigona’s top pair of Ishan Samani and Junaid Manji fired 81 gross while Tsevi Soni and Aarush Vara carded 85. Mitansh Thacker and Yuvraj Tajput fired 86 for a total of 252 which gave Sigona a grand total of 504 to claim the title.

Vet Lab Sports Club team carded 252 for a total of 516 to finish second with hosts Royal finishing third on 532. During the second round, the Vet Lab pair of Parv Kavia and Krish Shah shot 79 gross while Manav Shah and former Nation Classic champion Peter Gathogo shot gross 81. The third score came from the pair of Kush Sharma and Justin Ngeera who posted 92 gross to push their team to second place.

This year, only six teams participated in the junior event where hosts Royal came home third with 532 gross and Muthaiga and Karen were fourth and fifth on 537 and 544 respectively. Mombasa were placed in sixth place with 573 gross.

Speaking on behalf of Sigona Golf Club, the Captain Pratik Sanghrajka said the boys' victory was very encouraging and shows the future of the game is definitely on junior programme.

“I am really delighted with the boys' performance considering that three of them had also featured in the main event which means they played five days. The boys are fine and what is needed now is to focus on their mental concentration and definitely Sigona will come back to this event very strongly next year,’’ said the Captain.

Sigona Club director Hanif Tayebje said the junior event has shown that the future of the game of golf in the country depends on a strong junior programme. “I must congratulate our juniors for their team spirit which contributed to their victory,’’ said Tayebje.

Golf Kenya President Philip Ochola urged the juniors to take the game seriously just like their education because it can turn out to be the best career for them.

“I am very happy to note that three of the boys who participated in the event are in the Kenya national junior team that will be heading to South Africa for the All Africa Golf Championship. This is an important competition for the juniors as its part of the development programme to nurture talent in the country,’’ said Ochola.

Junior Golf Foundation (JGF) President Regina Gachora congratulated all the teams which participated in the event saying they are the future of the game of golf in the country.

“Soon we will be able to have some of you join the national junior team to represent the country in international events,’’ said Gachora who pointed out that three of the juniors were in her South Africa-bound national junior team.

The three are Krish Shah of Vet Lab, Junaid Manji now playing for Sigona and Mombasa’s Andrew Wahome. 

This year the Junior event, which usually kicks off the Tannahill Shield tournament, was held last in order to give juniors who were still in school an opportunity to participate.