RIZ ON THE BRINK OF SAFARI TOUR GLORY AT WINDSOR
By DANIELLA APIYO AND AMANDA DAMARIS
Windsor Golf Hotel and Country Club’s Rizwan Charania continued with his steady form at his home club’s leg of the Safari Tour Golf Series to remain top of the leader board with a two-stroke lead with one round of the leg remaining. He returned a 1-over 73 score on the third round of the tournament, taking his total for the tournament to 2-under par 214; two shots ahead of Dismas Indiza who stormed to second place.
On the first nine, Charania started the round with a birdie on the par-4, first before dropping a shot on the par-3, fourth. He quickly remedied the situation with a birdie on the par-5, fifth before holing another bogey on the par-4, seventh for a total of 36 on the first nine; having held par on the other holes.
On the back nine, he dropped shots on the par-4, 11th but made a birdie on the par-5, 12th. A bogey on the par-3 17th took his total for the back nine to 37 having held par on the other holes.
Speaking after the round, he said: “I still have a long way to go but I am happy with my overall performance. I have improved on my putting which has been my greatest shortcoming and I feel that I can carry this momentum into the Kenya Open.”
Commenting on how the Safari Tour has helped the local Pros prepare for this year’s Magical Kenya Open Golf Championship, he said: “I have really enjoyed it; it has given us professionals a wakeup call to step up our game, and has also given us great experience which will be used at the Kenya Open.”
Meanwhile, Mumias Sugar’s Dismas Indiza returned an impressive 2-under par 70 score to take his total for the tournament to level-par 216; enough to take him to second place with one leg to go. On the first nine, he holed consecutive birdies on the par-4, second and the par-5, third before dropping shots on the par-4, sixth and the par-4, seventh; but a birdie on the par-4, ninth was enough to take his first nine total to 35.
On the back nine, he started off with a bogey on the par-4, 10th but quickly cancelled it out with a birdie on the par-4, 11th. A birdie on the par-5, 15th was enough to take his back nine total to 35; having held par on the rest of the holes.
But the day’s headline story comes from Golf Park’s Tony Omuli who shot an impressive 3-under par 69 (the lowest score so far at this leg) to take his total for the tournament to 2-over par 218 to tie for third alongside Muthaiga’s Greg Snow. On the first nine, he holed birdies on the second, third holes and sixth holes; dropping a lone shot at the eighth for a first nine total of 34. On the back nine, he dropped a single shot at the par-4, 14th but holed birdies on the 18th and the 17th to take his back nine total to 35. On his part, Greg Snow returned a score of level-par 72 to retain his total tournament score of 2-over par 218.
Players tee off at 8:00am tomorrow for the final round of the Windsor Golf Hotel and Country Club leg of the Safari Tour where the top eight PROs on the Road to Kenya Open ranking will automatically qualify to play at this year’s Magical Kenya Golf Championship.