Dar caddie, Stanley Sanga, (left), overall winner of the tournament, receiving first prize from Mohammed Babu, Arusha’s Regional Commissioner.

Chairman of the Arusha Press Club, Nicodemus Ikonko (left) receiving a cheque of Tsh.300,000 from the Managing Director of Trishala Rolling Mills, Arun Lodhia to support the club’s activities.

Vibrant Dar caddie fires with vigour to win Arusha open

By Our Correspondent

 A 26-YEAR-OLD Caddy from Dar es Salaam, Stenley Sanga, stunned 125 participants to win this year’s three-day Arusha Open Golf championship which ended at the Arusha Gymkhana Club on Sunday.

 He fired a net 139 score to finish at the top of the tournament which had drawn entries from Kenya, Tanzania, the United Kingdom and India.

 "I am pleased to have won the championship," he said after receiving the first prize of 21- inch Hitachi Television set.

 Second is also a caddy, but from Arusha, Henry Michael who managed a score of 145, followed by Raju Lodhia of Arusha with a score of 147.

 This year’s championship, which was sponsored by the Trishala Rolling Mills of Arusha, had attracted the largest number of entries since the tournament was introduced.

 The Arusha Regional Commissioner, Mohamed Babu, presented the winners, by stating that more people should  be encouraged to play the sport.

 "Golf is considered an exclusive game for the rich…this is not true and testified by this year’s two top winners," he said.

 He urged the Tanzania Golf Union (TGU) and other golf supporters to entice Tanzanian youths to take up the sport.

 Babu assured the Gymkhana club that the long stand-off on the acquisition of the golf course adjacent to the club house would be handed over to them with a title deed soon."I will work to ensure that you have a title deed for the nine-hole golf course."

 "Golf is part of attracting tourists," he said, adding this year’s entries from the United Kingdom, India, Kenya and Uganda proved it. "People can come to just play golf in Tanzania if we have good facilities."

The Chairman of the Tanzania Golf Union (TGU),Gideon Sayore, had earlier appealed to the government to offer plots to popularize the sport.

Members of the organizing committee of the tournament, sponsors and others cheer the success of the meet.(All photos by Raymond John)

The Managing Director of the Trishala Rolling Mills, Arun Lodhia, assured the supporters of golf that his company would be willing to sponsor the competition in future.

 The full results are as follows:

 Overall winner: Stenley Sanga (139 net score)

First runner up: Henry Michael (145 net score)

Second runner up: Raju Lodhia (147 net score)

Third runner up  : N.Kute          (149 net score)

Fourth runner up :S.Omari         (150 net score)

Gross winner      : O.Mollel    

Winner second 18: J.Christopher]

Winner first     18: M.Jospeh

Best Junior Prize: A.Mustapha

Longest Drive   : B.Chadha

Nearest to the pin: S.Omari

Last modified: September 04, 2004 . Copyright © 2001 -  2004  Arusha Times.  E-mail: arushatimes@habari.co.tz

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