Final push for Limuru Safari Tour title

Uganda Open champion Justus Madoya joined Golf Park’s Erick Ooko at the top of the leader board going into today’s final round of the 2022 Safari Tour Limuru leg at the par 72 Limuru Country Club course on Tuesday.

One of the most consistent professional in the country, Madoya, from the Great Rift Valley Golf Resort in Naivasha, shot one under par 71 to tie with Ooko on two under par 214. “Today was one of those days, I could not just gets my putts in, and it really costed what would have been a turning point for me in this event.

And my worst hole was the 18th where I made three putts despite having shot a good approach shot’’ said Madoya who, however, insisted he was capable of winning the event with a respectable aggregate.

The day was even worse for Ooko who started off with a bogey at the par four-first, dropped two more at the fifth and seventh and recovered only one shot at the ninth where he made his first birdie of the day.

He then picked up three birdies at the back nine which however included a bogey at the 13th that resulted in the day’s level par 72 to close the day on two under 214 and share the lead with Madoya.

The man to watch besides the two leaders, is Zimbabwe’s Robson Chinhoi who closed the day on level par 216 and just two shots adrift, after firing an impressive three under par 69 in the third round. 

Like Madoya, Chinhoi dropped only one shot at the par three-fifth hole where he dafted his nine-iron shot which eventually denied him a clean round.

“I tried to hit a controlled nine-iron but instead I dafted and that made me miss the green and obviously a chance for a birdie or a par. I still believe I have a good chance of playing well in the last round and win the tournament," said Chinhoi who said the one month break after the Uganda Open has made players bringing poor scores.

“Last year we were playing back to back and that is why the scores were very impressive,’’ added Chinhoi who birdied the second, third, seventh and the 18th.

It was a fine outing for junior golfer Njoroge Kibugu who made four birdies at the front nine against two bogeys and two birdies at the back nine where he also dropped two shots, to finish on two under par 70.

That saw him jump from 25th place to tying eighth with among others Dismas Indiza, Mohit Mediratta, his elder brother Mutahi Kibugu and Rizwan Charania.

The Leader board;

Justus Madoya 71, 72, 71= 214

Erick Ooko 70, 72, 72= 214

Robson Chinhoi (Zim) 76, 71. 69= 216

Samuel Njoroge 70, 75, 72= 217

Mike Kisia 77, 68, 74= 219

Simon Ngige 76, 73, 72=221

Edwin Mudanyi 72, 73, 76= 221