Indiza toasts to Safari Open delight
Money Maker. Kenyan Dismas Indiza (R) receives a dummy cheque from Pam Golding’s Property Manager Farai Bandali during the prize giving ceremony at the Lake Victoria Serena Golf Resort & Spa on Saturday night. PHOTO BY EDDIE CHICCO
What you need to know:
Golf. Whereas Kenyan Dismas Indiza became the inaugural winner of the Pam Golding Safari Open in Kigo, he also marked a second successive year with a trophy in Uganda. He won the Uganda Open in Entebbe last year.
Kenyan Dismas Indiza may be a serial winner at Uganda’s professional golf events but he had to fight compatriot Sujan Shah over a three-hold sudden-death play-off to win the inaugural Pam Golding & Johnnie Walker Safari Open at the Lake Victoria Serena Resort & Spa at the weekend.
The 50-year-old needed to pull out his last card of experience after they tied on 286 after 72 holes to win the biggest cut of the $10000 (Shs37m) kitty on Saturday. “I am very happy,” stated the man from Mumias. “Thank you very much to the players and the sponsors because without you, we are nowhere,” Indiza remarked upon receiving his dummy cheque from Pam Golding’s Property Manager Farai Bandali.
Back in September, Indiza came for the Uganda Professionals Open and despite a course record of nine-under 63 on Day 3, he finished fourth in Kigo. When he returned for the Entebbe Open 12 days back, another Kenyan Jastas Madoya beat him by nine shots to only settle for second.
Leading the fifth leg of the Safari Tour Series by a shot after Day Two, Indiza was eager to quench his own thirst but also keep lead of the Safari Series, a route to the Magical Kenya Open which is a PGA European Tour event.
Indiza however lost his grip on Day 3 when he carded a round of five-over 77 engineered by three bogeys and a double-bogey on par-5 Hole No.13 and fell two shots behind leader Sujan.
He however turned on his mojo to return one-under 71 with five birdies, two bogeys and a double-bogey while Sujan returned 73, both to level after 72 holes on 286 gross on Saturday.
Heading into the three-hole sudden-death play-off on Holes par-4 No.16, par-5 No.17 and par-4 No.18, Indiza was a class apart, carding respective birdie, par and par while Sujan vanished in the race with double-bogey, par and double-bogey.
