Following his victory at this year’s NCBA Great Rift Valley Championship at the stunning Great Rift Valley Lodge, Raphael Leming’ani is optimistic about more wins in the future.
The Golf Park Golf Club player believes his game has improved since the end of last year.
Leming’ani, who began playing competitive golf in 2015, claimed his first-ever win in the Kenya Amateur Golf Championship this past Sunday, a decade-long wait finally rewarded.
The 54-hole stroke play event attracted 115 golfers.
He secured the Rift Valley Championship title after a tense three-hole playoff against Josphat Rono and Ebill Omollo, with all three tied at 11-over par 224 across the three rounds.
The trio faced off in a dramatic playoff on holes 10, 17, and 18 to determine the winner.
Leming’ani kept his composure throughout, carding level-par scores on all three playoff holes.
Rono started well with a par on hole 10 and a bogey on 17, but his chances faltered after sending his ball into the bush on the final hole.
Omollo struggled with bogeys on the 10th and 17th holes before salvaging a par on the 18th, but it wasn’t enough to stop Leming’ani from claiming the title.
“The playoff against Rono and Omollo was the highlight of the tournament for me. I was relaxed, and I knew I was going to perform,” said Leming’ani.
Rono and Omollo finished as joint runners-up, while Isaac Makokha and John Kamaisi tied for fourth place at 13-over par 226.
Leming’ani began his golfing journey in 2014 as a caddie after working as a barman for two years.
He recalled that before getting his official handicap, he would still play great golf.
“My first good score was 74 on a par 72 course. The Golf Park administrator told me he couldn’t give me a single-digit handicap, so I started at handicap 10. Within two months, I lowered it to 9, and then straight to 5. I’ve never had a handicap of 6, 7, or 8,” he shared.
Currently, Leming’ani holds a handicap index of 2.5.
“I’m focused on improving my game and expect even more victories this year,” he said.
This victory not only marked his first-ever KAGC win but also solidified his presence in the amateur golf scene.