Fresh from winning the Windsor Classic, the Kenya Amateur Golf Championships (KAGC) series John Lejirma has set focus to win back to back titles when he tees off at the par 71 Muthaiga golf club.
Muthaiga, the same course he played during MKO, the team Kenya captain said that playing at the MKO has helped him to gain experience in putting, and maintaining fairways, bringing the same experience at the Windsor Classic last weekend.
“I managed to play well because of the experience I gained at the MKO. Today or in this entire tournament I had very few bad shots hence becoming the champion,” said Lejirma.
In the three day that kicked off Friday March 7th to Sunday March 9th, attracted top amateur golfers from Kenya, Uganda, and Rwanda for a thrilling 54-hole Stroke play Championship, the champion fired a total of three under par 213 beating the defending champion Elvis Muigua with two shots at one under par 215 with Muthaiga’s Jay Sandhu completing top three at three over 219 before Rwandese Jean D’Amour Hitayezu from Kigali club finishing 4th with 222.
“Such tournaments are great for Kenyans who use them to prepare for international events. In the three days, I manage to stay on the course, despite a few hitches I came top,” said the 2022 KAGC overall champion.
In the opening round on Friday, Lejirma sunk three over 75 before recovering in the second round on Saturday to fire five under 67 in a highly competitive field, that determining the top 33 players, along with ties, that made it to today’s final where he managed one under par 71 to win.
He said that next weekend, he will be chasing to win the Muthaiga Open, one of the KAGC series before representing Kenya at the Victoria Cup that will be staged at Mt Kipipiri golf club in the weekend of 22nd March.
Last year, he missed to win the Muthaiga Open after finishing in joint 5th that was won by Nyali based Adel Balala.
“After Muthaiga Open, I will be competing at the Victoria Cup alongside other top Kenyans to try and retain our title,” he said.
At the Victoria, he will be leading Daniel Kiragu from Muthaiga, Tsevi Soni of Sigona, Elvis Muigua from Kiambu, Josphat Rono (Golf Park), Elly Barno (Nandi Bears), his cousin Raphael Leming’ani of Golf Park, Kevin Anyien from Golf Park, Krish Shah of Vet lab and Ebill Omollo also from Vet lab.
In the tournament, Naomi Wafula from Vipingo Ridge was the top lady after finishing in position ten with +11 227 in a men dominated event.
Other ladies include Kellie Gachaga, Margeret Njoki, Bianca Ngecu, and Diana Mbuba