Ngige plotting for final Safari leg after third place finish at Karen

With little time to rest between the Karen and Muthaiga Safari Tour Golf legs, Thika Golf Club’s resident pro Simon Ngige says he will be looking to test the Muthaiga course ahead of the Magical Kenya Open. 

Kenya is set to host the European Tour-run Open at Muthaiga for the first time since it acquired that status. The last two events have been hosted at the par 72 Karen Country Club. 

After leading the field at Karen in the first two rounds, Ngige dropped to third place after a one over par score in the third round and failed to find his comeback gear well in time to finish third behind winner Robson Chinhoi and second-placed Dismas Indiza who had to go for a playoff to determine the winner. 

In the leg-opening round, Ngige carded an impressive bogey-less six under par 66 to go tip of the leaderboard. He holed in eight pars and a birdie at the par-four-ninth, then birdied the 13th, 15th, 16th and an eagle three at the par five-18th for a low 31, and his brilliant six under par score which was one shot better than Mohit Mediratta of Sigona, who shot five under par 67.

On the second round, he dropped a shot at the 17th, but had made four birdies at the opening nine in addition to three birdies at the back nine’s 13th, 14th and 15th for a second successive 66, to close the day tied on 12 under par with Visitor Mapwanya. 

Ngige could not, however, master the same form and carded a one over par 73 that saw him close the third round at 11 under par 205, three shots of the leader Mpwanya and did not recover in the final round. 

"I played well in the first two rounds and I thought I could stay consistent in the remaining two rounds. However, I did not putt well in round three and I was not hitting the ball off the tee the way I wanted. 

I came into the final round three shots behind the leaders. On the back nine I was two shots behind Chinhoi who had taken the lead then I bogeyed 11th and 13th and that took me four shots back. I needed a birdie at the 18th to make it to the playoff but it did not happen," explained Ngige. 

Heading to the final leg of the series, Ngige, third on the order of merit is already assured of his spot at the Open and says he is looking forward to the 12 to 16 February event. 

"I am looking forward to he weekend at Muthaiga. I have to see how the course is playing since we are hosting the Open there next month. It is a little difficult to play now. They have grown the roughs, shortened the fairways and one has to keep the ball in play always." He added.