Kenya’s top amateur golfer, Michael Karanga, secured his fifth title of the 2024 Kenya Amateur Golf Championship (KAGC) at the NCBA Kenya Railways Invitational.
The Kiambu Golf Club star carded an impressive total score of 214, finishing two-under-par to outshine a field of 79 elite golfers at the par-72 Kenya Railways Golf Club.
Karanga demonstrated remarkable consistency over three rounds of competitive golf.
He opened with a solid 71 on day one, followed by another 72 on day two, before closing out the tournament with yet another 71 in the final round.
His stellar performance has cemented his dominance on the amateur circuit, as he now leads the series with 663 points after competing in 11 tournaments this season.
In addition to the NCBA Kenya Railways Invitational, Karanga’s winning streak includes victories at the NCBA Coronation Cup, NCBA Limuru Open, NCBA Coast Open Barry Cup, and the Karen Challenge.
At the Railways Invitational, Karanga’s closest challenger was John Lejirma of Kenya Railways Golf Club, who finished eight strokes behind with a total score of 222 (+6).
Lejirma, unable to fully capitalize on his home course advantage, opened with a 74 on Friday and slipped to 79 on Saturday.
He staged a strong comeback on Sunday with a brilliant 69, the lowest score of the day, but it wasn’t enough to surpass the in-form Karanga.
Lejirma is currently second in the 2024 KAGC Series standings with 621 points from 18 tournaments.
He has also claimed four titles this season: the Trans Nzoia Championship, NCBA Ronald Marshal and Tobby Gibson Cup, NCBA Ruiru Open, and NCBA Gold Fields.
Nyali Golf and Country Club’s Adel Taufiq Balala finished third with a total of 224 (+8).
Balala began the tournament with an impressive 69, but stumbled with an 81 on Saturday and fought to recover with a 74 on the final day.
James Mwangi of Golf Park Golf Club secured fourth place with a total score of 225 (+9), carding rounds of 80, 75, and 70 over the three days.
Rounding out the top five was Vet Lab Sports Club’s Ebill Omollo, who finished with a score of 227 (+11), showcasing determination with rounds of 76, 77, and 74 but falling short in the highly competitive field.