Home golfer Dominic Chelimo cared solid 43 stable ford points to emerge victorious at the opening leg of Kenya Seed Golf series that teed off today at the nine hole Eldoret golf club.
Playing handicap 25, Chelimo registered his maiden win after beginning his golf career eight months ago, beating 100 other golfers who turned up for the tournament as they seek to compete in a two day Kenya Seed Classic in two weeks’ time at the 18 hole Kitale golf club.
He fired three pars, with a number of double bogeys and bogeys to win the title when he sunk 23 and 20 stable ford points in the inward and outward nines.
At the first nine, he started with a bogey on par 5 recovered with a par in second par 4, sunk deep, dropping a shot in three and four, fired back to level in 5th dropped two in 6th par 4, bogeyed in 7th par 3 before dropping two in 8th and level in the 9th for a total of 23 points.
On his return, it was hard work for newcomer who dropped one in 10th par 5, parred in 11th bogeyed in 12th, dropping two in 13th, went deep with three drops in 14th par 4, before he bogeyed in 15th, 16th, 17th and 18th for the last 20 points.
He said he went to the course to have fun and that paid off. However he said that he had challenges in putting and he had to practice more that he reaped better results.
“Today I played short games knowing I was poor in putting but my long week in training has paid off. I played in a great flight and this was a good day for me. I can’t say I had planned to win but it happened,” said Chelimo.
He led Kitale’s Zenah Jepchirchir to second after she scored 41 points beating Eldoret’s Satwinder Sagoo on count back for third position.
Former captain and former lady captain Anand Lakhani and Esther Chumo were the longest driver winners in men and women on hole 6 as Nandi Bear’s Elly Barno won the nearest to pin prize in hole 5.
Barno, who has been consisted in Kenya Amateur Golf Championships (KAGC), finishing position eight overall was on podium again to receive the gross winner title after firing two over par 73.
Former Kitale Captain Stephen Malakwen on 38 points was the staff winner as Elgeyo marakwet governor Alex Tolgos managed to win the guest prize on 29 points before Adah Mukhenjo winning the best effort prize with 23 points.
Top ten finishers
- Dominic Chelimo (Eldoret)- 43
- Zenah Jepchirchir (Kitale)- 41
- Satwinder Sagoo (Eldoret)- 41
- Michael Rotich (Eldoret)- 40
- Gracemary Karira (Eldoret)- 39
- Mildred natecho (Eldoret)- 38
- Stephen Malakwen (Kitale)- 38
- Geoffrey Kitiwa (Eldoret)- 38
- J. Nderitu (Kitale)- 38
- Niral Shah (Kitale)- 38