Kenya Amateur Golf Championships (KAGC) series' leader Michael Karanga sank a rare seven birdies to take an early lead at the Kiambu Open on Friday.
Playing on home turf at the par 72 Kiambu Golf Club, Karanga, who has started his journey to defend his Kiambu Open title come Sunday, fired a total on four under par 68 in the opening round.
He took a three-shot lead ahead of Saturday’s second and penultimate round before the three-day 54-hole tournament comes to an end on Sunday afternoon.
In his opening nine, Karanga started off with a par in par 4, followed by back-to-back birdies in the second.
He dropped a shot in both the fifth, sixth, and seventh pars 4 with a bogey in the eighth and concluded with a birdie in the ninth for a total of level par 36.
On his resumption, he rolled in four birdies in 10th, 11th, 13th, and 18th with all pars for -4, 32.
Reigning KAGC champion John Lejirma from Kenya Railways fired one under par 71 to take second position with Vipingo’s Ridge’s Naomi Wafula and Ugandan Godfrey Nsubuga tying in position three with level par 72.
Round one leaderboard
1.Michael Karanga (Kiambu) 68
2. John Lejirma (Kenya Railways) 71
T3. Naomi Wafula (Vipingo Ridge) 72
T3. Godfrey Nsubuga (Mehta, UGA) 72
5. Bernard Omondi (Ruru) 73
T6. Joyce Wanjiru (Kiambu) 74
T6. Sammy Mulama (Mombasa) 74
T6. Peter waiharo (Kiambu) 74
9. Ebill Omollo (Vetlab) 75
