Muriithi Gatu a 9-year-old from Limuru and Vetlab-based 12-year-old Rohini Shah have been crowned the overall winners of the seventh leg of the Safaricom Golf Tour junior tournament at the par 72 Karen Country Club course on Saturday.
Gatu, a grade four pupil at Thika Road Christian School, carded a splendid gross of 39 points in a nine-hole tournament to emerge the best boy of the tournament. Vetlab’s junior golfer, a year seven pupil Rohini Shah from Peponi House preparatory school taking the overall Girls’ title after scoring 77 points.
“I liked the experience today as it was pretty unique playing with many different junior golfers. I appreciate Safaricom and US Kids for organizing such a fantastic junior event. My game today was one of the best. My first nine was good, where I scored a par twice, an ego and a birdie that made me win today’s tournament, “said Rohini Shah
The seventh leg’s Safaricom junior tournament at Karen Country Club was also part of the US Kids Foundation tournament. The event attracted a field of 136 junior golfers from Nairobi and its environs, with over 60 aspiring junior golfers taking part in the golf clinic held at the facility.
Taking the Boys 15-18 title was Asa Dinkins with a gross of 81 points ahead of Dhruv Kavia, who scored 87 points. Winning the Girls 15 and over category was Antonia Mbuthia with 103 points.
Playing in the Boys’ category 13-14 years, Nathan Caralon produced an impressive gross of 82 points to lead his group after a play-off with Junaid Manji, who had also garnered 82 points. In the Girls’ category, 13-14 years, Maryam Mwakitawa scored 86 points ahead of his closest challenger Navya Nagda who finished second with 123 points.
Elsewhere Justin Ngeera continued to dominate the 11 years Boys’ category after scoring a gross of 85 points leading his team of twelve contestants.
In the 9- 10 years old Girls category, Kanana Muthomi posted outstanding performance at the course to emerge the best girl with 44 points ahead of Nyawira Macharia and Wamaitha Waithaka, who took second and third place with 50 and 54 points, respectively.
Other top scorers were Ashley Gachora in the Girls 8 and Under category with 44 points and Jeff Kibe in the Boys 7 years category with 59 points.
As part of growing Golf among the juniors in the country, Safaricom has partnered with Junior Golf Foundation to tap and nurture young talent in the golf sport. The juniors can register with Junior Golf Foundation (JGF) for KES.1,000 and have access to any golf club in the country to play Golf.
The tournament marks the halfway stage of the ongoing Safaricom Golf Tour, with seven more legs left before the Tour culminates at Vipingo Ridge in August. After Karen, the tournament heads to Nyali Golf & Country Club in Mombasa on Saturday 21st and Sunday 22nd May 2022.