Simon Ngige extended his good run, taking Crown paints Invitational Professional golf tournament lead with one shot on par 71 Muthaiga golf club in round one today.
The Thika Sports club member shot one under par 70 to gain a one shot lead against Rizwan Charania and Jacob Okello in second and third positions respectively.
Ngige, who made the cut into 2019 Kenya Open, now called Magical Kenya Open at Karen in March, started the day well firing two successive birdies at the third and fourth though he dropped a shot at the eighth for one under par first nine.
At the back nine, Ngige made birdies on the 10th, 13th, and at the home green(18th) but against bogeys at the 11th, 14th, 16th to lead Riz Charania, Jacob Okello and Uganda’s Philip Kasozi all of whom shot level par 71.
Justus Madoya and Dismas Indiza were on one over par 72, just a shot better than John Wangai and a number of other players.
In the second round on Wednesday, teeing off at 7am, top finishers will proceed to battle it out for the top prize of Sh150,000 in the Sh1 million purse courtesy of Crown Paints.
Round One leaderboard:
- 70 Simon Ngige (Thika)
- 71 Rizwa Charania (Windsor)
- 71 Jacob Okello (Golf Park)
- 71 Philip Kasozi (UG)
- 72 Justus Madoya (Great Rift Valley)
- 72 Dismnas Indiza (Mumias)
- 73 John Wangai (Sigona)
- 73 David Odhiambo (Nyanza)
- 73 Tony Omuli (Golf Park)
- 73 Hesbion Kutwa (Vet Lab)