The fourth leg of the Junior Golf Foundation US Kids tournament was cancelled over the weekend due to heavy rains in Nairobi. The Karen Country Club was scheduled to host 149 junior players, but the rain did not allow any play to start. Eric Barry, the tournament convenor at the Karen Country Club, confirmed that the greens were waterlogged and that it would not be fair for the juniors to play in such conditions. Talks are underway between the Karen Country Club and the Junior Golf Foundation to find a new date for the tournament, possibly during the school holidays or on a weekend.
Regina Gachora, the president of the Junior Golf Foundation, confirmed the talks and cited safety concerns as the reason for cancelling the tournament. She noted that the JGF US Kids tournaments have grown, with more junior golfers coming out to play some good golf. The three tournaments of 2023 have witnessed different winners in different categories, indicating growth in the competition.
Gachora also mentioned that juniors who started with JGF in the Spring season of 2022 have improved their game and become much better players. Many of these juniors have participated in US Kids tournaments, and their handicaps have improved by 5-10 points. JGF has an elite squad that participated in the Magical Kenya Open earlier in March, and they are excited about new talents coming through.
JGF has a busy calendar ahead, with the first of three inter-school championships at the end of March, followed by two rounds of Spring tournaments in April, and finally, the junior open tournaments at Vetlab in Kabete and at the Vipingo Ridge.
Kelly Ayodi
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