Reigning Kenya Amateur Golf Championships (KAGC) champion Michael Karanga successfully defended the Kiambu Open title, the KAGC series at the Par 72 Kiambu golf course today.
Karanga recorded three victories out of four since the inception of the tournament in 2022, winning the inaugural event before Naomi Wafula won in 2023 then Karanga came back in 2024 to win before defending it today.
In the three day 54 hole championships that teed off on Friday, came to a close today with the champion firing four under par 213, beating team Kenya captain John Lejirma to second with seven shots at four over par 220.
His spectacular final-round performance earned him the title with a cash prize of KES 115,600 where on the final day, he led by two shots, with final-round 69, the lowest of the tournament, cemented his dominance on the leaderboard.
His composure and precision throughout the course made the difference as he surged ahead to secure the win. He carded birdies on holes 2, 6, 8, 10, 11, 13, 16, and 17, only dropping shots at holes 4, 5, 14, and 18.
With the win, the Ndumberi Golf Club Chairman earned 230 KAGC Order of Merit points, climbing to second place overall with 723 points, just 72 points behind long-time series leader Lejirma.
“The course was tough this time round due to the ongoing rains. I probably could have returned a better score than three-under-par, but I’m very happy to have retained the title,” said Karanga. “I checked the KAGC Order of Merit and realized I was number three, so I knew I had to do something this weekend, especially being the defending champion,” he added.
Finishing second was Lejirma of Kenya Railways, who posted rounds of 75, 72, and 73 for a total score of 220 (+4). Lejirma’s consistent ball-striking and recovery play kept him in contention throughout the event.
Despite an up-and-down start in Round 1, marked by several bogeys, Lejirma steadied his game in Round 2 with birdies at the 1st, 9th, 11th, and 13th to finish level-par for the day. He began Round 3 on fire with birdies on the first three holes, later adding two more on the 11th and 16th. However, his quest for the title was hampered by a double bogey on the 7th and bogeys at holes 8, 9, 10, and 15, ultimately earning him KES 69,400.
Tied for third at +9 (225) were Hetansh Shah (Sigona Golf Club), Naomi Wafula (Vipingo Ridge), and Joyce Njuguini (Kiambu Golf Club), each taking home KES 36,200.
Shah had a slow start with a first-round 80, struggling particularly on the back nine, but showed tremendous improvement with rounds of 74 and 71 on the second and third days respectively. His final round featured birdies on holes 6, 11, 15, and 16, and he remained bogey-free on the front nine. He only dropped shots on holes 14 (bogey) and 18 (double bogey).
Wafula, the 2023 Kiambu Open champion, delivered a solid defense of her title with rounds of 75, 76, and 74. Her final round was particularly composed, showing excellent short game control and avoiding major mistakes to finish a respectable two-over-par on the day.
Home favorite Joyce Njuguini was the epitome of consistency, carding identical rounds of 75 over all three days. Her deep familiarity with the Kiambu layout was evident as she displayed superb course management, grinding out pars and key birdies to stay competitive in a strong field.
Kiambu Open Leaderboard after third and final round
- Michael Karanga (Kiambu) 73, 72, 68= 213
- John Lejirma (Kenya Railways) 75, 72, 73= 220
- Hetansh Shah (Sigona) 80, 74, 71= 225
- Naomi Wafula (Vipingo) 75, 76, 74= 225
- Joyce Njuguini (Kiambu) 75, 75, 75= 225
- Alex Mwangi (Windsor) 74, 76, 77= 227
- Daniel Kiragu (Muthaiga) 77, 78, 73= 228
- Josphat Rono (Golf Park) 77, 78, 74= 229