Mugungu's nett 73 leads the three-ball at Royal Nairobi
Musyoka's two at the 188-yard 6th was the score of the day — and the card's "easy" short hole, the 13th, beat all three players
ENAIROBI — Eric Mugungu went round Royal Nairobi's 7,110-yard blue course in 81 on 23 May, a nett 73 off his playing handicap of 8 and the best score in his three-ball.
He went out in 40, closing the front nine with a birdie three at the 446-yard 9th, and came home in 41. A double-bogey five at the 172-yard 13th was his only score worse than bogey after the turn.
Benson Musyoka produced the score of the day: a two at the 188-yard 6th, the only birdie on his card. He reached the turn in 43, but sevens at the 15th and 16th took his inward half to 51 and his round to 94, nett 78 off 16.
Geofrey Opiyo was the steadiest of the three on the long holes, parring all four par fives on his way to 89, nett 83.
The hole that hurt most was not the one the card warned about. The 13th, rated the third-easiest on the course at stroke index 16, cost all three players a five. The 427-yard 4th, stroke index 1, averaged five — one over par. Only the 376-yard 5th was parred by all three.
The card · Course 1 (blue), par 72
| Hole | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Out |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Par | 4 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 36 |
| Mugungu | 5 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 40 |
| Musyoka | 5 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 7 | 4 | 5 | 43 |
| Opiyo | 6 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 45 |
| Hole | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | In |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Par | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 36 |
| Mugungu | 4 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 41 |
| Musyoka | 5 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 4 | 6 | 51 |
| Opiyo | 5 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 44 |