Eldoret Golf Club’s Ernest Mutema beat Muthaiga’s Massimo Vinaccia in the fourth hole of a dramatic sudden death play-off to claim the Windsor Classic title, the fourth event in the 2008 Kenya Data Networks Golfer of the Year series at Windsor Golf and Country Club at the weekend.
The 19-year-old Mutema, who now moves from sixth to fourth with 18.25 points in the KDN GOTY series, had tied with Massimo on nine over par 225 gross. As a result, the two went into a play-off where, after tying in the first three holes, Mutema parred the fourth hole by hitting a long 365-yards driver, pitched onto the island green where he holed for four to win his first national title this year.
Mutema said his victory was as a result of his long driving ability.
“The course was very wet this weekend, and the balls were not running on the fairways. Fortunately, I can hit the ball a long way and I was able to attack most of the par fives in two, giving me a few birdie chances,” Mutema said.
“I really expected to come in third. Lee Njoroge had played so well and had he not faltered today (Sunday) victory was surely his.”
Njoroge from Vet Lab took the third prize with 226 gross while Muthaiga’s Paul Thuo won the nett title on 221 nett, beating John Muchiri by three strokes and in third place, after losing to Muchiri on countback, was W. Smith.
Pradip Shah won the subsidiary event with 40 points ahead of Jack Hartman with 36 points and Raksha Shah was third with 35 points.
It Nyali, veteran Coast golfer, Musa Odada, posted 38 points to claim the men’s prize during the Eagle Africa Insurance Brokers Kenya sponsored Golf Day.
Playing off handicap five, Odada fired 21 points to start his campaign for his first outright victory this season where despite bringing home 17 from the back nine, he was able to beat Gurbax Singh (16, 20) and Dimple Mehta (16, 20) by two points.
However, the weekend’s best score of 40 points was posted by the lady winner Kiran Patel who fired 20 points in each nine to win by one point from B. Bundotich.
Jon Stokes was the guest winner on 36 and Frances Lagoussis was second with 35 points. Francis Karuiru won the staff prize with 31 and Watthew Wahome claimed the junior title with 34 which was two points better than senior winner And Burnard.
