South Africa Leads Kenya after day one of Zone Six

Africa Zone Six golf champions Kenya were half a point behind arch-rivals South Africa at the close of the day one singles of this year’s championship at the par 71 Nyali Golf and Country Club Wednesday.

The defending champions made a tremendous recovery despite having lost their first match to post a total of six and half points against South Africa’s seven.

One of Kenya’s top rated player, Boniface Simwa, went down 2-1 to Namibia’s Glen Del Klaal, then Joseph Karanja, who is also the Rwanda Open champion, birdied the last hole to halve with Zambia’s Aaron Simfukwe. “Putting let me down today, although I was able to hit every fairway,’’ said Simwa after his match with the Namibian.

Top rated Stefan Andersen

But thereafter, the Kenyans turned on the heat as Jay Sandhu beat Tanzania’s Abas Adam 2-1, while Collins Omondi scored a 5-4 victory against Swaziland’s S. Maseko, a victory that was followed by Nelson Mudanyi’s 4-2 win against Botswana’s Stuart Smith.

Veteran Francis Kimani beat Mozambique’s Moises Rodrigues 5-4 to give Kenya four and half points.

Thereafter, coast-based Amos Kamau scored an easy 6-5 win against Malawi’s Wilson Kayingwe while Kenya’s top rated, Stefan Andersen, beat Zimbabwe’s Scot Vincent 4-3 at the 15th hole to give Kenya six and half points and in second place.

South Africa who lost the cup to Kenya in Botswana last year after winning the cup for 17 straight years, won seven matches and lost one to Namibia.

“We thought we had an easy draw since we were not playing South Africa, but all the teams seems to be improving every day as was evident in the first round.

“We still however have a big chance as there are still three rounds to be played though it is obvious that the battle is between us and South Africa,’’ said Kenyan coach Ali Kimani. Meanwhile, following Kenya in third place was Tanzania on four and half points while Malawi and Namibia tied in fourth place with four points each.

Zimbabwe who last won the trophy in 1992 in Ndola, Zambia, before the arrival of South Africa onto the scene, was in sixth place with three and half points, just half a point better than Mozambique and Swaziland.

Zambia wound up the day with two and half points and tailing off with only two points last year’s host of the tournament Botswana.

The tournament enters its second day today with the second round foursomes in the morning followed by the third round four ball better ball in the afternoon.

Source- Daily Nation