Dinesh Patel celebrates with NBS Bank title

Dinesh Patel celebrated his 26 years of playing golf on the Country Club Limbe’s (CCL) greens on Saturday with an awesome victory during the NBS Bank Monthly Mug Championship.

The handicap 5 grey-haired golfer got the better of 96 contestants with a net of 68 points.

The country’s number one golfer Paul Chidale was two points behind Patel to settle for the second position and to count out Billal Raidan to the third slot.

But Patel’s key moment in the stableford format contest came when he struck a superb eight-iron within two-inches on the 12th hole.

“This month, I am celebrating my 26th year of playing on the CCL greens. The NBS Bank Monthly Mug is my first golf title this year and winning it with a rare eight-iron is like adding an icing on my celebration cake,” marvelled Patel whose six hole-in-ones probably make him the country’s record holder.

Agnes Chiweshe, with an amateur handicap 36, was the champion among six golfers in the ladies category with 73 net points. She was three points ahead of her runner-up Maggie Mukwenha.

According to CCL golf captain Gilbert Chirwa, the NBS Bank Monthly Mug was supposed to be conducted last April, but was postponed in respect of the 30-day mourning period for the late president Bingu wa Mutharika.

While appreciating the good turnout of golfers during the event, NBS Bank marketing officer Lilian Kawaza urged more ladies to patronise the contest.

“Let me thank you the six ladies for contesting in this event. However, as a bank, we urge more ladies to patronise this competition so as to refresh their minds and know more about our special products for ladies,” she said.