Recovers from a blank shot, Njoroge wins Greenkeepers title

Despite shooting blanks, George Njoroge recovered well to win the Greenkeepers’ Golf Challenge played on nine hole Eldoret golf club.

Playing handicap 9, Njoroge carded 40 stable ford points to win the inaugural tournament sponsored by green keepers and friends in one of the most challenging tournament ever, where obstacles like tractors, mauls, generators, wheelbarrows trailers large water pipes among others that are used in making greens and fairways for a good golf course.

But luck went to Njoroge, who fired a black in hole 13 par 5 with a birdie in on 12^th par 4. In his inward nine, he fired back to back pars in 1 and 2 pars 5 and 3, dropped one in 3, recovered with par in 4^th par 4, and 5, double bogeyed in 6^th par 4, and ended with pars in 7^th, 8^th and 9^th.

He said that the win came in due to his training.

“There was no much challenge on the course because I do train a lot during this coronavirus period. I got as many par as possible hence the title,” said the home player.

In the outward nine, he parred in 10^th, 11^th before a birdie in 12^th but his celebration was cut short when he fired a blank in 13^th before he parred in 14^th, 15^th, 16^th, 17^th and 18^th.

Njoroge, who played in the second last flight with Patrick Kiprop, Jackson Kiprono and Nelson Orgut wanted to beat his playing mates but ended up the overall winner.

“I really wanted to win against my playing mates but I ended up being the winner, which was good for us as play9ng unit,” he added.

Green keeper James Komen said in the history of Eldoret Club, no one had ever thought having a such tournament but the idea was born and it was fruitful.

“We have had captain’s prize as well as chairmen but nobody thought of green keepers who play a critical role to ensure that the course is playable,” said Komen.

Komen explained that the obstacles on the course were just a showcase of what they use to secure a good course.

“Majority of golfers have no knowledge on how the course is prepared but we had to bring all the machinery to show that without them, no golf could be played,” explained Komen.

Former captain Sandeep Grewal managed the second position with 38 points with Linah Shah in the third with 37 points.

Doctor Mathew Koech, who had drama with his ball stuck under the tractor, dominated the commercials, winning nearest to the pin and longest drive men as former lady captain Esther Chume won the longest drive ladies title.

On 24 points, James Chirchir won the Best senior title as Amos Butit claimed first nine on 20 points title with Wesley Kihumba taking the second nine title on 19 points.