Elvis Muigua fired incredible seven birdies, seven pars and four bogeys to win the Goldfields Trophy title, the Kenya Amateur Golf Championships (KAGC) series on par 72 Kakamega Golf club on Sunday afternoon.
Five days after celebrating his 20th birthday, the Kiambu player fired a total of three under par 69 in the third and final round to edge out round two leader Godfrey Nsubuga from Uganda and Nandi Bears Elly Barno for the title.
In round two on Saturday, Muigua concluded with +9 while Nsubuga was +3 with Barno at +6 but his incredible round three scores in the first nine was good enough to earn him the second KAGC title after winning the Trans Nzoia Open Championships in Kitale three months ago.
He says that he was motivated due to good practice for the tournament the whole of the week.
“I played well in the last round because of the confidence I received from my big brother Michael Karanga who told me that I should give my best,” said Muigua.
He was full of praise for his club mate and series leader Karanga, who did not make it to kakamega for the event after competing at the World Amateur Championships last weekend in Manchester, England.
“Karanga is my motivating factor and mentor in golf. When I am down, he is the man behind me. My expectation is to play good golf and being the second win in the series, it is an achievement after starting my KAGC events this year,” he said.
As the last player on the course, Muigua had saved the last putt for the best when he stood stable, will all eyes from fans, fellow golfers, media and Kenya Golf Union (KGU) chairman Philip Ogola on him but he did not disappoint, sinking a birdie in the 18th to seal the victory.
He managed to fire six over par 222 with (+8) in the opening round on Friday, one over in the second round on Saturday and three under on Sunday.
Nsubuga failed to meet the pace of the junior player to complete the tournament in second position tied with Barno on (+12) 228 in the three day 54 hole that counts for the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) points as well as contributing to the KAGC individual and Club Trophy Rankings.
He started well with back to back birdies in 1 and 2 pars 5 and 4, parred in three and four, recovered with a birdie in 5, 6, 7, and 8 before playing level in 9 for six under 30.
On return, he started with a par on 10th, dropped one in 11th and 12, parred in 14th and 15th dropped one in 16th, recovered with a par in 17th and concluded with birdie in 18th for three over 39.
Round three and final Goldfields leader board in Kakamega
- Elvis Muigua (Kiambu) 80, 73, 69= 222 (+6)
- Godfrey Nsubuga (Mehta) 76, 71, 81= 228 (+9)
T2. Elly Barno (Nandi Bears) 76, 74, 78= 228 (+9)
- John Timbe (Nyali) 76, 78, 76=230 (+14)
- Josephat Rono (Golf Park) 81, 71, 72= 232 (+16)
T5. Sammy Mulama (Golf Park) 77, 76, 79= 232(+16)
- Aron Kitur (Eldoret) 80,78, 75= 233 (+17)
- William Odeck (Nyali) 78, 77, 79= 234 (+18)
- Nelson Koech (Nandi Bears) 78, 76, 81= 235 (+19)
- Joseph Gathumbi (Kenya Railways) 76, 78, 82= 236 (+20)