Windsor golfer Njoroge Kibugu clinches Betika Masters title

I focused on hitting fairways, avoiding trouble, and setting myself up for birdies.

An elated Kibugu spoke after his victory and said: “It wasn’t the best start, but I reminded myself to be patient. The conditions were a bit tricky. However, I found my rhythm, and things started flowing.”

He added, “I focused on hitting fairways, avoiding trouble, and setting myself up for birdies. I’m really proud of how I finished today. It’s been an incredible week.”

Kibugu started the day with three bogeys on the front nine but managed to get back on track with birdies on the eighth and ninth holes. On the back nine, he rolled in four more birdies at the 12th, 13th, 15th, and 16th holes, finishing the tournament at 10 under par (206) and claiming his third title on the tour.

“I am happy to have finished this time. I am grateful. At the start, I had a few unlucky breaks, but I tried to stay focused because I knew I was hitting the ball well. Once I gave myself chances and hit the greens, it was time for the putts to drop,” said Kibugu, who took home Sh400,000 plus 210 points towards the Order of Merit.

It was also an excellent outing for Professional Golfers of Kenya (PGK) player John Wangai, who shot one under par (71) to finish second with eight under par (208), just one shot better than Rwanda’s Celestin Nsanzuwera.

Wangai said: “It was a good round overall. I tried to stay patient and avoid mistakes. The tour has been great for the pros, as the level of competition improves with every event. That pushes us all to raise our game.”

Nsanzuwera, who at one time was sharing lead with Kibugu on eight under, picked up two late bogeys, at the 16th and 18th, to drop to third place on seven under par 209. A total of 30 players had made the second round cut in the Sh2 million event courtesy of Betika.

Wangai, who seems to be at his best form at the moment, dropped a shot early in the opening nine, but managed to cancel it with a birdie at the fourth hole. He set out on the back nine with four straight pars, then dropped a shot at the 14th.

However, two birdies at the 15th and 17th saw him wind up with a three-round total of eight under par 208. The PGK boss took home Sh214,000.

But what a day it was for the Rwandese Nsanzuwera, who at one time was sharing the lead with Kibugu on eight under.

He, however, picked up two late bogeys at the 16th and 18th to drop to third place on seven under par 209. Before his late bogeys, Nsanzuwera had picked up three birdies at the front nine against two bogeys, while before his late bogeys, the consistent Nsanzuwera had birdied the 11th and 13th.

“I gave it my all today and was in a good position for most of the round. Unfortunately, I made a few mistakes toward the end, but overall, I’m happy with how I played. This Tour has given us a platform to grow, gain experience, and measure ourselves against strong competition. Each event feels like a step forward’’ said Nsanzuwera.

For his effort, the Rwandan layer earned Sh144,700 for finishing third in the event, and promised to produce his usual fireworks in the next event at Limuru next week.

On the other hand, the round one leader, Greg Snow, dropped to fourth place on four under par 212 after closing the tournament with one under par 71. A total of 30 players had made the second round cut in the Sh2 million event courtesy of Betika.

The Leader Board:

Njoroge Kibugu 70, 67, 69= 206

John Wangai 71, 66, 71= 208

Celestin Nsanzuwera(Rw) 70, 68, 71= 209

Greg Snow 68, 73, 71= 212

Michael Karanga (a) 71, 72, 70=213

Dismas Indiza 72, 67, 75= 214

Mike Kisia 73, 75, 67= 215

David Wakhu 72, 69, 74= 215.