Makori, Awuor triumph in NCBA Golf Series at Royal Nairobi

George Makori and Ashley Awuor emerged victorious in the hotly contested Division One category of the NCBA Golf Series, held on Saturday, September 28th, at the Royal Nairobi Golf Club.

The event saw over 250 golfers compete at the par-72 course, vying for a coveted spot in the NCBA Series Grand Finale scheduled for November 29th.

In the men’s Division One, Makori, playing off a handicap of 10, went head-to-head with Sunil Parmar in a tightly contested match. Both golfers finished with 39 points, but Makori clinched the win on a countback, leaving Parmar to settle for second place.

In the ladies’ Division One, Ashley Awuor, with a handicap of 5, delivered an impressive performance, scoring 38 points to beat Diana Mbuba (handicap 7), who posted 36 points.

Nicholas Malaki (handicap 18) and Christine Mathenge (handicap 24) scored 42 and 44 points in Division Two, respectively. In Division Three, Tesha Magira emerged as the overall winner with a score of 44 off a handicap of 30.

Shawn Malesi triumphed in the junior category, returning 35 points off a handicap of 12. Meanwhile, Don Tororei and Rahab Thuo claimed the guest and staff categories.

Makori, Awuor, Malaki, Mathenge, Magira, and Malesi now join over 100 other golfers, including three from Rwanda, who have secured their places in the Grand Finale.

The day's highlight came when Constantine Barasa stole the show with a stunning hole-in-one at the 167-yard par-3 hole 17.

Speaking at the event, NCBA Group Acting Corporate Banking Director, Charles Omondi, praised the high level of competition and reaffirmed the bank’s commitment to promoting regional unity through golf.

“We are immensely proud of the growth and enthusiasm throughout the series since its launch at this very venue. Our support for golf now extends across Kenya and to Tanzania, Uganda, and Rwanda, fostering regional unity through the sport,” Omondi said.

“As we prepare for the grand finale at Muthaiga Golf Club, I’d like to congratulate today’s winners and all participants. The meaningful engagements we’ve had during the series will continue as we look forward to the finale in November,” he added.

In line with its sustainability agenda, NCBA also planted over 100 indigenous trees at the club, contributing to environmental conservation and enhancing the club’s green spaces.

The series now moves to Uganda, with Entebbe Club hosting the final qualifying round next weekend.