Ugandan Nsubuga pips Karanga to win Nyali Open

Uganda amateur golf champion Godfrey Nsubuga overcame a strong challenge from Kenya’s leading amateur Michael Karanga to clinch the 2023 Nyali Open by one shot at the par 71 Nyali Golf and Country Club course on Sunday.
Nsubuga, who hails from Mehta Golf Club in Lugazi, shot level par 71 in the third and final round for a three day total of five over par 217 to claim his third title in the 2023 Kenya Amateur Golf Championship (KAGC) series, having won the Teafields Trophy in Kericho and Kiambu Open last month. He won Sh96,000 and 80 points towards the KAGC series.

Speaking after the last round, Nsubuga said he was happy having played well this season even in the events he did not win. 

“This has been a successful season for me and I think playing in the Kenyan golf series has given me a lot of experience, and I am so grateful that the Kenya Golf Union allowed Ugandan golfers to participate in the series’’ said Nsubuga, adding that winning against Michael Karanga was great.

“Karanga is a solid player and it was great playing with him in the final round," said Nsubuga, who won the Uganda Open last month and went on to complete a double in the East Africa by winning the Tanzania Open at Kili Golf Resort in Arusha three weeks ago.

During the final round, Nsubuga birded the first hole, though he dropped a shot at the sixth and later on at the 12th, though he picked up a birdie at the 14th and parred the rest to level the course. 

Nsubuga, who has also qualified to play in the Magical Kenya Open, said he was waiting for a decision from the Uganda Golf Union officials on whether to play in the Kenya Open, or the inaugural Africa Amateur Golf Championship in South Africa.

Karanga was unlucky, having dropped five shots, though he ended the round with a 15-footer birdie at the par three-18th. He however said he was happy having won 13 out of 18 events he played. 

“Winning the two major tournaments in the KGU calendar, the Match Play Championship and Stroke Play, as well as the Golfer Of the Year award, is great. I won some of those event course records’’ said Karanga, who said he will definitely play in the 2024 Kenya Open.

Karanga however said he would have probably won the Nyali Open if he was not penalised in the first round, a decision which he said affected his performance. He won the second cash prize of Sh57,600 plus 52 points towards the KAGC series order of merit.

Finishing third on a total of 220 gross was Kenya Railway Golf Club’s John Lejirmah, while Nyali’s William Odeck was fourth on 222 just a shot better than defending champion Adel Balala. 

Meanwhile at Vet Lab Sports Club, the second leg of the Safari Tour Season Six got underway where Muthaiga’s Njoroge Kibugu and Mohit shot level par 72 to take a one first round lead in the event which has attracted players from Uganda, Malawi, Zimbabwe, Kenya and Tanzania.

The second round is set for Monday.