Wakhu clinches Great Rift title despite a poor final round

Golf Park’s David Wakhu claimed the title at the third leg of the Safari Tour played at the par 71 Great Rift Valley Golf Resort in Naivasha for maximum points as the race for European Tour qualification starts to shape. 

Wakhu who headed to the final round with a four-shot lead emerged victorious, despite bogeying six holes in the final round on Wednesday 13 October following a disastrous back nine. 

He had finished the front nine on level par after picking a birdie on his first hole and dropping a shot at the fifth. 

His game went downhill in the back nine as he three-putted the 11th, then drafted his tee shot at the par three 12th. Despite hitting the perfect driver at the 14th, a ten-minute wait must have gotten to his nerves as his approach shot went out of bounds resulting in a bogey. 

He then three putted the par five‐17th and missed a birdie narrowly at the 18th for a five over par 76 and a four rounds total of one over-par 285 which was good enough to win him the leg. 

"This week I felt more relaxed and my rhythm and coordination were on point and made things easier in the first three rounds. The game plan was to level the course for the final round and I was well on course. At the end of the front nine, I had an eight-shot advantage,"

"At the 11th through to 13th I still had it but the trauma happened on the 14th. I took a long tee shot and things were looking up but I had to wait for the group ahead to finish before I could continue with play and that was frustrating. From then on I struggled with the par fives and my putting was just off," explained Wakhu who missed out on the under par bonus in his payout. 

He continued, "However, I take it in stride and pick the lessons. From the last two legs, seeing as I missed cut in the tournament-opening Sigona leg, I have realised I am struggling in the final round. I will need to work on mental strength and stamina for the final round." 

Meawhile, Kenya Railway Golf Club’s SamuelNjoroge was second, three shots behind Wakhu, after carding four over-par 75 on the final round for a four over total of 288, with round one leader Greg Snow of Muthaiga posting 76 for fiveover par 289.

Youngster Mathew Wahome whose club Nyali is hosting the fourth leg next week, shot one over par 72 for a total of 290. The only under par score, on the final round, of two under 69 was posted by Rwanda’s Aloys Nsabimana which pushed him to ninth place on 293.

“I am happy at least I was able to play well though it came a bit late. I believe my game is definitely going to improve as we go along,’’ said Nsabimana 

It was a bad finish for Malawi’s Paul Chidale as he shot 78 in the final round to drop to tying seventh with Dismas Indiza on 292. It was also a bad final round for home pro and defending champion Jastas Madoya who after his third round’s 69, picked a number of bogeysin the final round for a disastrous 83 to drop to 14th place on 298, tying with second leg winner Robson Chinhoi of Zimbabwe and Golf Park’s Eric Ooko.

Final leader board

David Wakhu 69, 70, 70, 76= 285

Samuel Njoroge 70, 74, 69, 75= 288

Greg Snow 66, 73, 74, 76= 289

Mathew Wahome 71, 76, 71, 72= 290

Ganeev Giddie 73, 73, 72, 73= 291

Tafara Mpofu 70, 74, 73, 74= 291

Dismas Indiza 69, 72, 80, 71=292

Paul Chidale (Maw) 70, 75, 69, 78= 292.