Former Kitale golf club Captain Stephen Malakwen braved the afternoon rainfall to swing to victory during the Saturday’s 12th leg of Dstv Explorer golf tournament on par 73 Kitale Golf club.
Teeing off handicap 19, Malakwen proved his worthy by when he played level (73) net in an encounter that attracted 50 golfers.
The determined golfer had a bad start with a double bogey on par five hole one. His tee shot went out of bounce before taking a provisional play.
“It was a bad start today. After my tee shot went out of bounce, another challenge followed me in the second hole with my tee shot before I holed out with eight shots,” said Malakwen.
He recovered on hole 3 with a bogey followed by a par on hole par 4 hole four, a par on par 3 hole five, another bogey on par 5 hole seven to end the first nine with 39 net.
His luck came in the back nine shooting five bogeys, three pars and a double bogey for 34 net.
“Second nine was my favourite. Even I could have played better than that if there was no rain,” said Malakwen who was caught by rain on second shot hole 18.
He beat his closest competitors Jonathan Cheruiyot, Solomon Kariuki and Lady Captain Hannah Rutenbar on count backs before M.C Yator completing the top five finishers losing by a shot (74).
Handicap 18 Phyllis Kisuna was the nearest to the pin prize after shooting 146 yards on hole 7.
Top golfer Philip Shiharsy, playing handicap +2 won the men’s longest drive driving 300 yards while Rutenbar was on the podium again for longest drive women prize 250 yards.