Greg Snow fired a closing round of one-under-par 71 to win the third leg of the Safari Tour Season Three Championships at Sigona Golf Club.
This saw the Muthaiga professional golfer garner a total of 11 under par 277 gross to win the four-day extravaganza, which attracted over 69 players.
Snow beat Muthaiga teammate, youngster Njoroge Kibugu, by a solitary shot to clinch his first Safari victory of the season.
Snow (69, 69, 68, 71) took control of the scintillating Sigona tussle at the halfway stage on Tuesday and clung onto his lead to the very end.
Despite dropping four shots (three in the back nine), Snow made five birdies on holes 2, 4, 6, 9 and 15 to prevail in the event which was preceded by Uganda Open and the Vet Lab leg.
Kibugu’s round of five-under 67 enabled him to finish in second with a gross total of 10 under par 278 gross.
Kibugu made a total of six birdies (three on both nines) in the closing round four to savour a good finish on the emerald green fairways of Sigona, where leading pros registered great under-par scores, including eagles.
Home player and Day Two leader, Mohit Mediratta, settled for third with a gross total of seven-under-par 281.
Mediratta fired a round of one-under-par 71 to end his spirited campaign with scores of 34 and 37 on the front and back nines respectively.
Thika Sports Club pro Simon Ngige and Mumias long-hitter Dismas Indiza were tied for fourth with a gross total of six-under-par 282.
Meanwhile, Indiza still leads the log after three events, followed by Samuel Njoroge, Daniel Nduva and Vet Lab leg winner Mike Kisia.
The Tour heads to Limuru Country Club next week for the fourth round.
The series, in its sixth season, is being used as a Magical Kenya Open qualifier for local and regional players.
A total of eight local pros and two from the region will qualify for next month’s DP World Tour (formerly European Tour) event.
The Kenya Open is part of the 2024 ‘Race to Dubai’, which features three new and distinct phases – five innovative ‘Global Swings’ from November 2023 to August 2024; a historic ‘Back 9’ from September 2024 to October 2024; and two ‘DP World Tour Play-Offs’ in November 2024.
In 2019, the tournament became a European Tour (renamed DP World Tour) event.
The event has been dominated by Europe’s Ryder Cup golfers, including Seve Ballesteros, Ian Woosnam, Ken Brown, Edoardo Molinari and Christy O’Connor Jnr, as well as future Masters champion Trevor Immelman. The most successful player is Maurice Bembridge, who recorded three victories between 1968 and 1979.
Safari Tour - Sigona leg results
1. Greg Snow 277 (-11)
2. Njoroge Kibugu 278 (-10)
3. Mohit Mediratta 281 (-7)
T4. Simon Ngige 282 (-6)
T4. Dismas Indiza 282 (-6)
6. Samuel Njoroge 284 (-4)
7. Riz Charania 285 (-3)
8. Ooko Erick 286 (-2)
9. Mike Kisia 287 (-1)
10. Mutahi Kibugu 288 (Par)
Safari Tour Standings after Sigona
1. Dismas Indiza 163 points
2. Samuel Njoroge 135.5
3. Daniel Nduva 115.5
4. Mike Kisia 108.3
5. Greg Snow 107.3
6. Mohit Mediratta 84
7. Njoroge Kibugu 81
8. Abraham Ainamani (UG) 80.5
T9. David Kamulindwa (UG)77