Junior amateur golfer Taimur Malik of Muthaiga Golf Club, Kenya is the winner of the opening leg of the Safari Tour Season 4 (2021/22) after stunning an elite field of professionals (who made the money cut) on Wednesday at Sigona Golf Club in Nairobi, Kenya.
Malik, 17, albeit being the only amateur player to make the second round cut shot an impressive seven under par 65, a course record to set up a playoff with Mohit Mediratta who was playing on home course and Vet Lab Sports Club’s Edwin Mudanyi after the trio all had four under par total of 284 after four rounds of play.
In the playoffs, the trio all parred in the first hole albeit Mudanyi coming closest. In the second hole, Malik got the job done to come atop.
Malik was awarded with a trophy whilst the two pros each got Sh255, 172 (Kenya Shillings). Railway’s Samuel Njoroge who shot one under par 71 for three under par 285, earned Sh169, 379. The Sigona pro kitty was Sh230, 000
However, Ugandan pair of Abbey Bagalana and Deo Akope who made the money cut finished eighteenth and T-19 off 11 over par 299 and 12 over par 300 respectively.
The second leg of the Safari Tour will be held between 3rd to 6th October at Vet Lab Sports Club, Kenya.
The final leaderboard;
Taimur Malik (A) (KE) 73, 73, 73, 65= 284
Edwin Mudanyi (KE)76, 72, 64, 72= 284
Mohit Mediratta (KE)70, 67, 71, 76= 284
Samuel Njoroge (KE) 71, 76, 67, 71= 285
Visitor Mpwanya(Zim) 74, 71, 72, 69= 286
Robson Chinhoi (Zim) 74, 72, 70, 70= 286
Erick Ooko (KE) 74, 71, 74, 70= 289
Simon Ngige (KE) 70, 73, 74, 73=290
Dismas Indiza (KE) 72, 72, 73, 73= 290.
