Maryam Mwakitawa has maintained her stronghold on the leaderboard in the Girls’ 15-18 Years category at the ongoing NCBA Invitational Tournament at Windsor Golf and Country Club, Nairobi.
On Sunday, Mwakitawa delivered an impressive two-over-par 74, an improvement from her first round of five-over-par 79. She now leads the category with a combined score of nine-over-par 153 after two rounds.
“The course was definitely challenging, with fast greens and tight lines. The difference today was that I played more cautiously and stayed present, especially while putting. I didn’t let my mind wander,” Mwakitawa reflected.
Hot on her heels is Aundrey Gachora, who matched Mwakitawa’s two-over-par 74 on Sunday after starting with an eight-over-par 80 on the first day. Gachora holds second place with a total score of ten-over-par 154, just one stroke behind Mwakitawa.
“Yesterday was fun, even though I struggled at times with a few double bogeys. I was putting well, so I didn’t mind my scores too much. Today, I fought really hard, and I’m happy with how it turned out,” said Gachora.
In the Boys’ 13-14 Years category, Shashwat Harish remains in dominant form, shooting another two-under-par 70 in the second round to mirror his first-day performance. Harish leads the group with a remarkable four-under-par 140 heading into the final round.
“Although the scores are the same, my performance on the course felt different. Yesterday, I struck the ball really well and could have gone even lower. Today, my swing was off on a few shots, but that’s golf—each day is different,” Harish explained.
The NCBA Invitational has drawn over 116 golfers from 10 countries across Asia, Africa, and Europe.
The tournament is a key event in the Kenyan Junior Golf Foundation system, awarding Order of Merit points for handicapped and non-handicapped players in the 15-18 age category for 2024.
Additionally, participants can earn World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) points and also have the opportunity to secure US Kids Golf Priority Status, which opens doors to prestigious Major Championships, Regional and International tournaments, and the renowned World Teen Championships.
The three-day tournament concludes on Monday.
