Mwakwere leads 160 players in KPA annual championship

By Maarufu Mohamed

Transport Minister Ali Chirau Mwakwere will lead 160 players during the Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) golf tournament at Nyali Golf and Country Club on Saturday.
The Windsor Golf Club member and his wife, Rose, will tee off at 9am along with last weekend’s Kenya Association of Hotel Keeper and Caterers tournament winner, Wanyonyi Chebukati,
The minister will grace the event for the second year running since KPA is in his ministry.
But to open up the course at 8am from the same tee will be a team of veteran Coast golfers Musa Odada and the club’s professional, Jimmy King’ori, along side Korean C K Yuu and Eric Nyongesa.
Nagin Shah and Diana Munyao, who are the men and lady, title holders, are expected to defend their titles in the one day, 18holes stableford tournament.
Shah is in the afternoon draw from the 10th tee while Munyao will be playing in the morning draw, also teeing off from the tenth tee.
Club captain, Dominic Makau, who was the runners-up last year, former greens keeper, George Nesbit, Ijaz Sheihk, Gabriel Gakuo, and Davies Mulli are among players expected to battle it out for top honours.
However, Irfan Elias, Ushwin Khana, Rohit Devani, I Kudrati, and the club chairmn, Tonny Mbote, should not be ignored.
Last year’s lady runner-up, Kellen Weku, Kiran Patel, Jane Gichere, Saida Samji and the club’s lady captain, Cristine Ockotch, are some of the title contenders.
Jane Mburu, Margaret Wahome, Florence Karimi and Ann Wohome are also experienced lady golfers expected to make some impression tomorrow.
The event’s junior defending championship, schoolboy, Jonathan Chebukati, will have to battle it out with experienced rivals S Hamada and Kush Malde.
Speaking on behalf of the sponsors, the organising committee chairman, Charles Odoo, said hat the tournament, which is one of the corporate’s major competition on the calendar of events, has attracted manyof their clients and stakeholders from around the country.
The fourth edition of the annual championship is being held on the par 71 course at the club.