By KPC Sports Reporter
Dennis Chebitwey emerged as the overall winner of the inaugural IKM and Oxygène Golf Tournament after carding an impressive 43 Stableford points at the par-72 Windsor Golf Hotel and Country Club.
Playing off handicap 16, Chebitwey edged Yusuf Omari by a single point in a highly competitive tournament that attracted 145 golfers, including top corporate executives, legal professionals, business leaders and club members from across Kenya.
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An elated Chebitwey attributed his victory to a strong performance and years of dedication to the sport.
“It was an incredible day on the course. I had a fantastic four-ball, and we really pushed each other throughout the round,” he said.
Chebitwey also paid tribute to golfing legend Larry Ngala, who introduced him to the game more than two decades ago.
“I also want to thank Larry Ngala for introducing me to golf 26 years ago. The lessons and passion he instilled in me have kept me coming back to the game, and it is special to win a tournament like this,” he added.
In the other categories, Martin Gatheca finished as the Men’s Runner-up while Aggie Konde claimed the Lady Winner title after posting 37 Stableford points. Bernadette Irungu finished as the Lady Runner-up with 35 points.
The Sponsor Winner award went to NCBA Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer John Gachora, while East African Breweries Limited (EABL) Group Managing Director and CEO Jane Karuku finished as Sponsor Runner-up.
Special prizes were also awarded, with Fidhelis Kimanzi and Kate Murima winning the Men’s and Ladies’ Longest Drive categories respectively, while Alex Mwangi and Rebecca Gathumbi claimed the Nearest-to-the-Pin honours.
The tournament was jointly organised by law firm Iseme, Kamau and Maema Advocates (IKM) and integrated communications agency Oxygène, with organisers describing it as a platform for strengthening business relationships and networking among clients and partners.
“Oxygène and IKM share common values and, importantly, many common clients. That is what inspired us to organise this tournament; not just as a day of golf, but as a platform to bring together our clients and potential clients, strengthen existing relationships and create meaningful networking opportunities in a relaxed environment,” said Oxygène Chairman Linus Gitahi.
IKM Chairman Senior Counsel James Kamau said the overwhelming turnout highlighted golf’s growing role as a networking platform for business and professional leaders.
“Golf has a unique way of bringing people together. We are delighted by the overwhelming turnout for this inaugural tournament, which has provided an excellent opportunity for leaders across different sectors to connect, build relationships and create new partnerships,” said Kamau.
“We look forward to growing this event even further.”
Organisers said the inaugural tournament lays the foundation for what is expected to become a flagship annual event bringing together leaders from Kenya’s corporate, legal and business communities.
