Home player Mutahi Kibugu went on top of the leaderboard after posting a conservative one under par 70 round at Muthaiga Golf Club as the final leg of the Safari Tour reached the halfway mark.
Kibugu who started the day one stroke behind the leading trio of Samuel Njoroge, Daniel Nduva and Rodell Gaita was off to a lively start with a pair of birdies on the front nine and a bogey on the seventh. Chasing his first victory on Safari Tour, he remained steady on the back nine despite dropping two shots on number 12 and 17. Two priceless birdies on number 15 and 18 four a gross score of four under 138 were enough to earn him an outright lead.
The 18 holes co-leaders failed to cling on to the leadership with Njoroge dropping to second after returning one over par 72 today. Despite starting on the relatively easier back nine Njoroge bogeyed three holes before recovering with birdies on number 17 and 18 to remain firmly in the lead. A return of one par and a bogey on the front saw him drop one place down on the leaderboard.
Nduva’s quest for a second victory on the Tour suffered a temporary setback following an overly-cautious front nine performance as the Nyali player failed to register a single birdie despite dropping a shot on number nine. Matters got tricky on the back nine after a costly double bogey on number 11 paved way for a pair of bogeys on number 12 and 16 but he managed to redeem himself with a birdie on the final hole.
Ugandan Gaita failed to keep up with the pace and dropped to joint fifth after today’s calamitous round of four over par 75. He found the going tough on the front nine where he posted six bogeys and a double bogey but recovered on the back nine with two birdies on number 17 and 18 to stay in contention, albeit four strokes adrift. He is joined in fourth by Tony Omuli, Greg Snow, Visitor Mapwanya and Alloys Nsabimana on level par 142.
There were no surprises at the end of the 36 holes as all the front runners made the cut which stood at five over 147.
LEADERBOARD DAY 2
PLAYER SCORE
M Kibugu -4
S Njoroge -3
D Nduva -1
T Omuli Par
G Snow Par
V Mapwanya Par
A Nsabimana Par
R Gaita Par
M Mediratta +2
D Indiza +2
N Muyambo +2
J Madoya +3
M Kisia +3
J Sandhu +3
P Sombreiro +3
S Opio +4
F Matilo +5
S Ngige +5
C J Wangai +5
E Ooko +5
R Rugumayo +5
A Galgalo +5
