- Kihanya leads with a score of 20 over par 162
- Kericho’s Wasike dropped to second
- Muthaiga’s Antonia leads the women’s ranking
Limuru Golf Club’s Jelani Kihanya has taken over the lead at the second NCBA Coast Junior Open at the Nyali Golf Club.
Kihanya is in the lead with a score of 20 over par 162, a great improvement from the opening round where he played 13 over par 84 to rank third at the end of the first round.
Despite the heavy rains in the morning session at the Nyali Golf Club, Kihanya managed three birdies and seven level pars to shoot to the top of the leaderboard.
“Round one was a bit of a struggle, I wasn’t finding my way around the course and the weather was not cooperating; but I hit the range after and I think today it went much better, the drivers finding the right places, irons were working, I birdied three out of the five par three holes. I found the course easier than yesterday because the greens were biting more but the last three holes were affected by the winds,” he explained.
Overnight leader from round one, Fidel Wasike from the Kericho Golf Club is now second after managing just eight level pars in round two. Wasike played 81 in round 1 and 87 in round two for a total of 26 over par 186.
Wasike laments after Kihanya takes lead
Antonia Mbuthia in action
“Today was tough. The course was playing tough. It started with a lot of rain compared to yesterday so it was a completely different course. I struggled a bit shooting 87 compared to yesterday (81). My short game wasn’t the best, that was also a problem,” lamented Wasike.
Muthaiga Golf Club’s Antonia Mbuthia recovered from a disappointing round one to improve by nine strokes in round two.
Her scores of 90 in the first round and 81 in the second round gives her an overall score of 29 over par 171 to sit nine shots behind the leader but only three shots behind Wasike in the second position.
“Day one was a struggle I can say. It is a new course, I’m from Nairobi, so you have to club up on every hole. The greens are really good though, so you have to be consistent with the short game. I didn’t play my best in round one but in round two as we were turning despite the heavy rains in the morning, somehow I woke up and played well. I played better in the back nine,” said Mbuthia.
Tatiana maintains fourth
Hazel Kuria in action in Mombasa.
Tatiana Genevieve of Vipingo Ridge Golf Resort has maintained her fourth position on the leaderboard after near identical scores of 87 and 85 in the first two rounds. Hazel Kuria closes the top five positions with a score of +35.
“I had a problem with my swing before and I had to go and play with Naomi (Wafula) in Vipingo at my home club and we fixed it. So after I came here (Nyali) everything went fine. My putting was ok, but a little bit tricky with the winds. We managed it and we are ready for the final round,” she said.
40 players have registered to play at the first JGF junior golf tournament at the coast sponsored by NCBA bank.
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