Wakhu toasts to Safari Tour title

David Wakhu, from the Golf Park Club, returned a sizzling score of 6-under par 65 on the fourth and final round of the Safari Tour championship at the Nyali Golf and Country Club to win the championship by three-strokes and claim the top prize of Sh150, 000.

Wakhu started his campaign at Nyali with a less than impressive score of 6-over par 77 through his first round; making amends in Round-2 finishing on 1-over 72 and went two better in Round-3 with a 1-under score of 70.  At this point, Wakhu was tied in third place, seven strokes behind Dismas Indiza.

On the fourth and final round, Wakhu scored an eagle on the opening hole; he followed this with 3-consequtive pars from the 2nd to 4th holes before picking up another birdie on the par-5 5th and on the par-4 9th. Wakhu’s only bogey came on the par-4 7th for a total of 3-under on the opening nine. On the back nine, Wakhu made birdie on the 10th and 11th holes, put together five pars through to the 16th hole, made birdie on the 17th and par on the 18th for a score of 3-under par on the back nine and 6-under par, 65 for the round. His tournament total of 284, level par was enough for a comfortable 3-shot lead over Indiza.

Wakhu’s final round score of 6-under equals the Nyali Golf and Country Club Professional record.

Speaking after his round Wakhu said he was focused on playing well. “My aim today was to play well and not necessarily win. I started the day too far behind Dismas (Indiza) and my thoughts were not on catching him, they were on bettering my score,” he said. “This week we have played under excellent tournament conditions and I believe that the Safari Tour will help Kenyan professional golfers prepare for the Kenya Open in 2019.”

Indiza had a rough day in the office through the fourth round, finishing with a 4-over par score of 75 for a 287-tournament total. Indiza only managed two birdies on the 1st and 11th holes and dropped shots on the 6th, 9th, 15th, 17th and double bogey on the par-4 7th.

“It wasn’t my day, I couldn’t keep my drives on the fairway, I couldn’t hit my mid-irons with precision, it was a tough day,” Indiza said. “Congratulations to Wakhu for winning, he played very well and deserves the victory.”

For his efforts Indiza banked Sh100, 000. Riz Charania and Eric Ooko finished tied in third plaice with scores of 288 and collected Sh77, 500 each.

The Safari Tour now moves to the Vet Lab Sports Club from September 1 where the professionals will compete for another total prize fund of Sh1 million