Top golfer Michael Kisia has announced his retirement from the Kenya Amateur Golf Championship (formerly Goty) after emerging top in his home round during the Kabete Open tournament over the weekend.
On Sunday, Kisia who is also a national amateur golf team mainstay, delivered a scintillating round of 7 under 65, to rack up the eighth edition of the annual Kabete Open.
The event counted towards KAGC series at the par 72 Vet Lab Sports Club course where top amateur golfers converged for the national event. Kisia led in the first round and played an exhilarating third round that included an eagle two at the par-four-15th having already birdied the hole before.
Kisia savoured birdies at the fifth, sixth and seventh holes in a stunning round which handed him a three rounds total of 212 gross— eclipsing Kenya Railway Golf Club’s Samuel Njoroge by three shots.
In an interview, Kisia said: “It’s a great feeling winning on my home course in my last amateur event. I am lost for words,” said Kisia who now wants to pursue a career in paid ranks.
He becomes the latest amateur to move on after Mathew Wahome of Nyali and former Kenya captain and club-mate Robinson Owiti. “It’s about time I start playing for cash.
That’s the main key and I think my game is on point at the moment,” said Kisia. Asked if the influx of amateur golfers into paid ranks will affect the national team, Kisia noted: “It won’t! There are good young players in amateur ranks still playing the game.”
Kisia has won several tournaments in the KAGC series and was among the players who represented the country in the 2019 European Tour Kenya Open KAGC series together with champion Samuel Njoroge (RailwayGC), Kenya Amateur Match Play champion Daniel Nduva of Nyali, Vet Lab’s teammate Edwin Mudanyi (now a professional golfer) and Dubai-based junior Bradley Mogire who was given a wildcard by the Kenya Golf Union.
