Wakhu takes a four-shot lead at Great Rift as action heads to final round

Golf Park’s David Wakhu, shot one under-par 70, in the third round of the ongoing Safari Tour third leg at the Great Rift Valley Golf Resort in Naivasha, to move top of the leader board ahead of the final round. 

This was Wakhu’s back-to-back one under par score, having carded the same score in the second round and a round of two under-par 69 in the first round for a three rounds total of fourunder-par 209. 

Wakhu heads the leaderboard with a four-shot advantage ahead of Wednesday's final round with Muthaiga’s Greg Snow and Kenya Railway Golf Club’s Samuel Njoroge who finished the day on level par total of 213 tie second. 

“I decided to remain cool and play according to my plan from first tee. The plan was to play at least four under-par for the day. I missed a few chances but I am still happy with the day's score. We have one more round so I could still play a lower score than today,’’ said Wakhu. 

The Gold Park pro who was the best placed Kenyan at this year's Savannah Classic birdied the 13th and 14th holes picking only one bogey in his card on his way to the one under-par 70 of the day. 

Njoroge on the other hand, birdied the first, fourth and sixth holes, dropped two shots at the seventh and the tough par four‐ninth. He dropped an early shot at the back nine’s 11th, recovered two at the 13th and14th missed a par narrowly at the par five‐17th but wound up the back nine with a birdie at the par four‐18th for two under par 69 to tie for the second place with Snow. 

Muthaiga’s Snow, on his part, shot two over par 74 after a string of bogeys including a double at the notorious seventh which has proved tough for him since last year.

He had,however, picked a birdie at the par three‐third then dropped a shot at the fourth and waslucky to escape with a bogey at the sixth after driving to the right bush where he lost a ball. 

He over shot the green on the seventh to double the hole. At the back nine Snow made a birdie at the 14th and everything appeared fine until he missed a close one for a par at the 18th.

It was however a disastrous day for senior pro Dismas Indiza who picked up a seven at the par four‐ninth after overpitching the green. This was after three putting the seventh and eighth to cancel two early birdies at the fourth and sixth.

He started the back nine well, with an early birdie coming at the 11th but dropped a shot at the 15th. It was however, an 11 at the par five‐17th where he was penalised two shots for using two caddies, having scored a nine which saw him closed the day on nine over par 80 to drop fromthird place to 13th place with eight over par 221.

On the other hand, Malawi’s Paul Chidale shot two under-par 69 for a total of one over par 214 in fourth place and still in with a good chance of stringing to the top in the closing round.

“I am improving by the day, and very happy in particular with my round today though I missed a few chances which denied me a lower round," said Chidale who picked a nine at the 17th after hitting his driver to the bush. 

He had earlier birdied the sixth, seventh and eighth and at the 10th, 13th and 16th.

Home player Jastas Madoya is fifth after rounds of 70,76and 69 for a total of three over par 216.

The final round gets under way from 8.30am followed by the prize giving ceremony at 2.30pm.

The Leaderboard;

David Wakhu 69, 70, 70= 209

Samuel Njoroge 70, 74, 69= 213

Greg Snow 66, 73, 74= 213

Paul Chidale (Maw) 70, 75, 69=214

Jastas Madoya 70, 76, 69= 215

Andrew Odoh (Nig) 72, 73, 71= 216

Tafara Mpofu (Zim) 70, 74, 73= 217

Mathew Wahome 71, 76. 71= 218

Ganeev Giddie 73 73, 72= 218

Sydney Wemba (Zam) 70, 76, 72= 218