Experienced home golfer Andrew Chelogoi produced a superlative performance over the weekend to claim the overall title of the first leg of the Barclays Bank golf series on nine hole Eldoret Golf course.
As Western Kenya Golf Union representative, Chelogoi beat a host of over 100 golfers to emerge top when he started with a back to back birdies in holes and two that boost his morale to better his excellence performance.
Handicap 5 golfer, Chelogoi, who is the chairman of the club impressively carded a record 45 stable ford points when he combined 23 and 22 points in the opening and closing nine.
With his opening double birdies with another on hole seven, added five pars and two bogies to sum the opening nine with 23 points.
He combined two birdies in the last half and seven bogies to complete the tournament with 22 points to emerge victorious, which is rare for club chairman to be on the top.
“I must say that it was a day meant for me. I never imagined I could win and even my playing partners were shocked by my results. Each time I played the ball, I even failed to see where landed and it was a happy moment for me,” said Chelogoi.
Playing on home course, Chelogoi added that everything worked out for him together with his jovial playing partners were wonderful as they laughed all through the course.
“For the whole of this week, I did not do any practice the way I am used to but it’s shocking and disbelieve that I emerged the winner,” said the smiling Chelogoi.
Another home player Natahni Tororei finished second, five points behind Chelogoi with 40 points. Handicap 17 player. The young Tororei played 21 and 19 points in each nine.
Former lady captain Esther Chumo completed the podium places with 39 points after beating Charles Ng’ang’a with a single shot to 38 for fourth place and Kiran Shah losing with the similar score to Ng’ang’a.
Barclays Bank, the sponsors of Kenya Open has started a six series as they search for amateur golfers ahead of next year’s tournament to be staged in Muthaiga.