Golfer Elly Barno emerged overall winner of the Nandi Kosyin Golf Cup after an impressive performance at the Nandi Bears Club, setting the stage for an exciting contest in the upcoming Nandi Shield Open.

Barno carded a gross score of 88 and a net score of 66 to claim the Championship, beating a field of 95 golfers who turned up for the tournament.

Besides earning bragging rights, the overall winner walked away with a dairy cow and a trophy.

Victor Bett finished second with a gross score of 92 and a net score of 68, while Jacob Keino settled for third place in the closely contested tournament.

In the category divisions, Nelson Koech emerged victorious in Division One, while Jackline Metto claimed the Division Two title.

The tournament served as a crucial build-up to the prestigious Nandi Shield Open, scheduled to take place on the weekend in the same county, with golfers using the competition to sharpen their skills ahead of the national event.

For Barno, the victory has provided a timely confidence boost as he prepares to defend his title in the Nandi Shield Open, where he will be seeking to add to his previous triumphs.

The golfer said the competition had offered him an important opportunity to assess his performance and fine-tune his game ahead of the highly anticipated tournament.

He expressed confidence in his ability to mount a strong title defence, saying his experience in the competition had given him the motivation to intensify his preparations.

“I have won the Nandi Shield Open three times, and I am confident that come next weekend, I will defend my title,” Barno said.

The Nandi Kosyin Golf Cup is part of broader efforts to promote golf in the region, which is widely associated with athletics, while creating opportunities for young people to explore alternative sporting careers.

Lydia Jebichii, a golfer at Nandi Bears Club, challenged more women in Nandi County to take up golf, saying the sport offers opportunities for personal development, exposure and economic empowerment.

Jebichii said golf goes beyond competition, helping players develop discipline, patience and emotional control, qualities she described as essential both on and off the course.

“Golf is a wonderful game. It gives you exposure and tests you as a person. You are able to know your level of patience, temper, among other things,” she said.

She cited her experience travelling to Europe to compete as an example of the opportunities the sport can open up for players, particularly those from regions where golf has yet to attract widespread participation.

“Through golf, I have travelled to Europe to play, something that would not have been possible, if I were not a golfer,” she added.

Jebichii said increased participation by women and young people would help broaden the sport’s appeal in Nandi County while providing players with opportunities to compete beyond the region.

The tournament’s main sponsor, Allan Kosgey, said the initiative was established to identify and nurture local talent while positioning sports as a key driver of economic development in the county.

Kosgey said golf, alongside other sporting disciplines, had the potential to unlock Nandi County’s economic opportunities by attracting investment, stimulating local businesses and creating employment for young people.

He noted that since the launch of the tournament, organisers had witnessed growing opportunities to identify promising golfers, while the event had also injected money into the local economy.

According to Kosgey, the benefits of golf extend beyond players to include people employed in the day-to-day operations of golf courses, including caddies and other support staff.

He said expanding participation and investing in sporting infrastructure could help create sustainable livelihoods for young people while strengthening the county’s position as a destination for sporting activities.

Kosgey added that initiatives such as the Nandi Kosyin Golf Cup were important in giving emerging players a platform to showcase their abilities and gain the experience needed to compete at higher levels.

The upcoming Nandi Shield Open is expected to provide another opportunity for local golfers to demonstrate their abilities while advancing efforts to establish golf as a viable sporting and economic venture in Nandi County.

By Kosuri Valarie