8-year-old Aarna Mengi and 11-year-old Peter Gathogo emerged as the overall girls’ and boys’ winners respectively at the tenth leg of the Safaricom Golf Tour junior tournament held at the par 73 Kitale Golf Club on Sunday.
Mengi, a grade 3 pupil at Montessori Schools extended her victory from Kericho to defend her top position to be named the overall best girl of the juniors tournament on 42 points. Nakuru’s golf club junior, grade 6 student at the Christ the King Academy Peter Gathogo who was in his best form, carded a splendid gross of 76 points to claim the best boy title.
“I am excited about winning the Safaricom Juniors tournament for the second time in a row with my first win being in Kericho last Sunday, which also came as a birthday gift as I turned eight last week on Monday. I like the way Safaricom is doing its clinics, giving a lot of young people an opportunity to come and experience golf,” said Aarna Mengi.
Playing in the boys’ 13-14 years category, Keith Kyama from Uganda carded 107 points to clinch the title ahead of Lionel Tomno who posted 131 points to settle for the second position in the category. In the girl’s 13-14 category, Petra Fandi was named the winner after scoring 110 points.
Meanwhile, it was an amazing day for the home junior golfers as they dominated the 11 years and 11-12 categories. 11-year-old Pius Gumo beat Diem Songo to claim the title on 116 gross, while Shirlyn Bungei scored 107 points to beat her challenger Charmaine Akiru on 114 points to win the girls’ 11-12 category title.
Taking the lead in the boys’ 15 and above category was Zaddock Kimutai from Nandi Bears on 91 points. Earlier on, in the Saturday’s tournament, the junior golfer had produced an impressive 40 points to win the Men’s Category.
In the girls’ 15 and above category, Rita Butita posted 112 points to lead her group in a very tight competition which saw Shelby Bungei finishing second after returning 113 gross.
Playing in the boys’ 10 years category, Adrian Kiptoo produced an impressive gross of 50 points to lead Gavril Jamar of Rayzon School, who finished second with 68 points. In the girls’ 8 and below category, Precious Zawadi scored 51 points to beat her closest challenger Clementa Bonareri on countback.
Meanwhile, in the boys’ 7 and below category, Axel Mwaura scored 47 points in a nine-hole tournament to lead Justus Kagongo with Collins Musa taking the top position in the boys’ 8-9 years category.
Ivan Cheruto beat Wendy Chemutai on countback to claim the girls 9-10 years category after the duo tied on 64 points.
Earlier, in the Saturday tournament, Kitale’s homebased and former club’s captain, Elly Sorobea beat a field of 133 participants to be named the overall winner of the tenth leg of the tour in a very colourful event held at the same facility.
The Kitale tournament saw 50 junior golfers from the region, its environs and as far as Uganda drawn to the tournament with 63 aspiring junior golfers showing up for the golf clinic.
The event culminates in the caddie’s tournament today, Monday 13th June. The caddie’s tournament speaks to what Safaricom set out to achieve at the onset of this series, which is to give all those interested in golf a chance to participate in the tournament. The caddie’s tournament has attracted over 150 participants from across the country.
The action now takes a short break and will resume on 9th July with the eleventh leg to be held in Nakuru.