Hakizimana finishes 9th in KCB grand finale

RWANDA’S top elite professional golfers Jean Baptiste Hakizimana and Emmanuel Ruterana posted mixed performances in the KCB Advantage Banking golf 2013 tour which ended last weekend at the Leisure Lodge Golf club in Mombasa.

Tuesday, August 13, 2013
Jean Baptiste Hakizimana defied odds to finish among the top ten in the 2013 KCB Grand Final tour held in Mombasa over the weekend. The New Times / File.

RWANDA’S top elite professional golfers Jean Baptiste Hakizimana and Emmanuel Ruterana posted mixed performances in the KCB Advantage Banking golf 2013 tour which ended last weekend at the Leisure Lodge Golf club in Mombasa. Hakizimana was the best placed non-Kenyan golfer who beat stiff competition from a host of home golfers to finish in  the top ten. He hit a sixteen over par 304 to finish ninth, tied with David Odhimbo from Kenya ahead of another Kenyan David Opati who finished tenth. Ruterana finished a distant 17th after hitting a twenty over par 308. Hakizimana praised the training stint he held in South Africa prior to the Kenyan event for enabling him to stage the good display. "Having taken time to train in South Africa helped me a lot coming into the KCB Grand Finale. There was drastic improvements and am so thankful for whoever assisted me to gain that exposure,” "The experience gained in Kenya will be pivotal when I take part in the Asian tour next month,” added Hakizimana, who was making his third appearance after missing the cut in 2011 and finishing eighth last year. Meanwhile, Vet Lab Resident Pro Brian Njoroge emerged the winner of the KCB Advantage Banking golf 2013 tour with an impressive 2 under par 286. In second place was Richard Ainley of Nakuru Golf club after he managed a 2 over 290.In third place was Mumias Golf club professional Dismas Indiza who hit a three over par 291.  Dismas was also the overall winner of the PGK order of merit. Simon Ngige from Thika golf club was fourth followed by PGK Chirman Rizwan Charania who closed the top five category. Last year’s order of merit winner Nicolas Rokoine was sixth overall.