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T. NashipaeAll-conquering Kiambu golfer wins Kabete Open
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Reading Time: 2min | Sun. 17.09.23. | 20:08
He landed in Kenya on Friday morning and headed straight to the tee box.
Hot firing Michael Karanga carried the day in the Kabete Open that was played at the par 72 Vet Lab Sports Club in Nairobi on Sunday afternoon. Karanga was oozing experience from the recently concluded Egypt Amateur Golf championships.
He fired two under par 70 in the third and final round of the meeting, which marked the 19th leg in this year’s Kenya Amateur Golf Championships (KAGC) series.
The Kiambu golfer, who finished 6th at the North African Championships noted that the Egypt Amateur played a crucial part in honing his skills for the home tournament.
“Playing in Egypt was a tough one and coming back home gave an advantage. The more I play in the tough encounters, I get more skills needed in the next game,” Karanga offered.
Karanga who became the first Kenyan to deep under 100 amateur players across the world started off his campaign with a joint second position on -1 71 with Ruiru’s Bernard Omondi behind Ugandan Godfrey Nsubuga. He took a four-point-lead on Saturday’s second round.
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On Saturday, he kicked off with a birdie at the par four first hole, picking up six pars thereafter up to the eighth where he missed a footer for a par.
He would then drop his second shot of the day at the 10th after a full swing. He however made birdies at the 12th, 14th, 15th, and 16th to sign for a 68.
On the final day, the golfer started off with a birdie in 7th and a bogey in third with all pars for a total of level par 36 in the opening nine. His impressive second nine saw him manage two birdies in 11th and 14th and all pars for -2 34 for victory.
The Limuru Open winner remains the golfer to watch after securing a ticket for the Magical Kenya Open after winning both the Kenya Amateur Stroke Play and Kenya Amateur Matchplay.
Final Kabete Open Leaderboard
T1. Michael Karanga (Kiambu)7, 68, 70= 209
T2. Godfrey Nsubuga (UGA) 70, 71, 75= 216
T3. Isaac Makokha (Vet Lab) 76, 73, 76= 225
T4. John Lejirma (Kenya Railways) 76, 73, 77=226
T4. Ebill Omollo (Vet Lab) 76, 74, 76=226.
T6. Dennis Maara (Limuru)76, 76,77=227
T7. Moses Kisia (Vet Lab) 75, 75, 80= 230
T7. Elvis Muigua(Kiambu) 80, 75, 75=230.
T9. Josephat Rono (Golf Park) 80, 74, 78= 232
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