Junior golfer Malik beats Mohit in playoff to claim victory at Sigona

Junior golfer Taimur Malik beat home professional Mohit Mediratta in the second hole of a playoff, to claim the title in the opening leg of the 2021/2022 Safari Tour Season Four series at the par 72 Sigona Golf Club course on Wednesday 29 September.

The 17-year old Malik from Muthaiga Golf Club, who was the only amateur player to make the second round cut, shot a course record round of seven under par 65 in the final round to catch up with Mediratta and Vet Lab Sports Club’s Edwin Mudanyi on four under par total of 284 which saw the three go for a play off.

In the first hole of a play off, Mudanyi missed close putt for a par while Malik and Mediratta leveled the hole to go for the second hole where Malik fired to the centre of the fairways while Mediratta pushed to the right.

The home player, Mediratta, overshot the green and although he chipped back well, he missed the par while Malik made his par, to claim the trophy.

“It feels great winning an event against professionals particularly after playing three over par in the first three rounds. I am glad I played well in the final round which gave me a chance to play in the play off. My putting has not been good but I am working on it and I hope to play better in the next event at Vet Lab’’ said Malik.

The teenager admitted to having been nervous during the playoff, but after the first hole, he gained some confidence. "I would like to encourage the other juniors to work hard on their game. It is possible to match the pros."

During the regulation play, Malik made two birdies at the fourth and sixth holes but made a double bogey at the seventh where he hit his driver to the left trees before coming out to the fairway.

He managed to put his 150 yard long approach shot to the green but made a three putt.

He managed to recover one shot with a birdie at the ninth. It was,however at the back nine where his putter started producing the magic.

He picked birdies on the 10th, 11th, and then birdied from the 14th to 17th, for a brave six-under par 30 at the back nine and the day’s 65.

On the other hand Mediratta, who had led in the second and third rounds of the leg, started off with three bogeys in the first nine where he only made a birdie at the fourth. He dropped another shot at the eighth. He bogeyed three more holes at the back nine where he only made one birdie at the 11th for four over par 76.

He had started with a four shots advantage from Mudanyi who only made three birdies, all in the par fives, to finish on level par 72 for a total of four under par 284.

“It was not a good day putting-wise as I missed a number of birdie putts, but I am happy tying for the top prize. This has given me abit of confidence for the next event at my home course. I will definitely give it my best at Vet Lab,’’ said Mudanyi.

While Malik went home with the trophy, the two pros each got Ksh255,172 while Railway’s Samuel Njoroge who shot one under par 71 for three under par 285, earned Ksh169, 379.