Naomi Wafula seals top amateur title in Thika

Kenya’s top golfer Naomi Wafula braved a tough challenge to win Kenya’s top Lady golf title, the Kenya Amateur Match Play Championship title, at Thika Greens Golf Resort.

Wafula, who last year made history by becoming the first lady golfer to win a Kenya Amateur Golf Championship (KAGC) series title, announced her return to good form by beating Royal Nairobi’s Ashley Awuor 2-1 to claim the Ladies Match Play Championship title at the Thika Greens Golf Resort Sunday.

A product of the Rose Naliaka Academy, Wafula said the course favoured her golf more than the other players. 

“The course, particularly the par fours, are very long and because I am a long hitter, I beat the other players easily,” Wafula said. Her last win in the Match Play Championship came in 2013 when she was a junior.

“I have been practising well because I really wanted to win the match play so as to qualify to join Kenya’s top male amateurs at next weekend’s Mt Kenya Championship,” the 26-year-old Wafula said.

She thanked the Kenya Ladies Golf Union (KLGU) and club Vipingo Ridge for granting her a chance to compete in the event. This year’s championship was sponsored by KLGU.

Before meeting Awuor in the final, Wafula had beaten Nakuru golfer Emma Pennington 7-6 in the quarter-finals, having been given a bye in the first round.

Awuor had beaten Muthaiga’s Bianca Ngecu 2-up in the first round, and eliminated defending champion Diana Mbuba in a quarter-final match that ended at the 21st hole.

Well before that, Awuor also a Rose Naliaka foundation product had beaten Belinda Wanjiru of Vet Lab 1-up.

In the A division championship, Benta Khanili won 2-1 against Brianna Ngecu in the final match after beating Limuru’s Mwongeli Nzioka 4-3 in the semis where Ngecu beat Thika Sports Club’s Betty Ndenderu 1-up. The B division title went to Susan Ngure who beat Beatrice Odhiambo 1-up.