Ugandan Michael Alunga will be chasing his second Kenya Amateur Golf Championships (KAGC) title when he tees off at the Kabet Open at the par 72 Vet Lab golf club.
Fresh from becoming the first Ugandan amateur to qualify for the 2025 Magical Kenya Open following his Kenya Amateur Match-Play Championships win last weekend at the par 72 Windsor Golf club, the Uganda Golf club player said he will be playing to increase his chances of winning the KAGC title.
The four day 54 hole stroke play tournament will tee off on Friday running to Sunday in the KAGC Ranking event.
“I will be returning to Kenya to compete at the Kabete Open this weekend,” said Alunga.
Alunga, edged out compatriot Joseph Cwinyaai also from Uganda Golf club for the title that was decided in the sudden death play-off.
The 2022 Manchester Salver champion Alunga, who returned to the local championships after staying in the United States of America to further his skills, paid off with the victory where the winner is guaranteed of playing at the MKO 2025.
With the victory, THE 2022 Tea Field champion became the first amateur from Uganda to qualify for MKO, saying that it was not easy to beat Kenyans at home but managed to.
Alunga, who also serves as the Ugandan National team captain said that he has ro calculate on how to play and lead the rest.
“I must admit that this was the toughest game ever that I have played in my career. It was so tough that we had to play 36 holes, making me so tired,” said Alunga.
“Even though I was down in the final holes, I knew I will beat him because of my experience playing in the USA. There is good golf in Kenya and winning today is the best thing ever,” he said.
With the tournament starting on Thursday with 78 golfers, 32 golfers made the cut to compete in the elimination match-play on Friday where they played in the best of 32 and 16th with 36 holes.
Saturday was the day for both the quarterfinals and semifinals 36 holes tournament before Sunday’s 36 hole tournament.
In the first round of 18 holes on Sunday morning, Cwinyaai started off with three birdies, four bogeys and the rest of the holes playing level while the champion recorded all pars except a drop in 16th to end the first 18 holes with the champion 1-up.
In the next 36 holes, round two, they were all square to force the match into the sudden death playoff. They were all square at the 37th hole after sinking a par but Alunga managed to fire in a birdie in 38th to beat Cwanyaai who had a par.
Playing for the third position was the reigning KAGC champion Michael Karanga from Miambu golf club who lost to South African Pranay Kapur from Royal Johannesburg golf club.
At the semifinals, Cwinyaai beat Kapur in the 20th hole while Alunga managed to stun Karanga with a hole to book for a final match.
In the quarterfinals, Kapur beat Muthaiga’s Jay Sandhu, Alunga shining over Muthaiga’s John Koina, Karanga beating Mombasa’s Adel Balala and Cwinyaai triumphing over Golf Park’s Anos Odongo