Shawn Malesi of Royal Nairobi Golf Club made an impressive start to the second edition of the NCBA Mt Kenya Junior Open, carding a two-under-par 70 to take the first-round lead at Nyeri Golf Club.Malesi holds a two-shot advantage over Hetansh Shah of Sigona Golf Club, who returned an even-par round of 72, while fellow Sigona golfer Yuvraj Singh Rajput sits third on two-over-par 74.Download Our MozzartSport App for More NewsJustin Ngeera of VetLab Sports Club occupies fourth position with a 76, while Fanuel Yebeltal of Royal Nairobi Golf Club completes the top five after carding 77.In the girls' competition, Maryam Mwakitawa of Sigona Golf Club leads the field after returning a seven-over-par 79. Rohini Shah of VetLab Sports Club is second with a round of 82.The three-day championship has attracted 56 junior golfers and provides an important competitive platform for young players from across the country. The event is World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR)-ranked and also contributes towards the Junior Golf Foundation (JGF) Order of Merit, offering participants an opportunity to earn valuable ranking points while gaining experience in high-level competition.Road to Magical Kenya Open qualification pathway for regional players revealedSpeaking on the significance of the championship, Baldev Singh, Junior Golf Foundation Mt Kenya Regional Representative, highlighted the importance of expanding competitive opportunities beyond the traditional centres of junior golf.“Hosting the Mt Kenya Junior Open is an important step in strengthening junior golf in the region. It gives our young golfers an opportunity to compete in a WAGR-ranked championship and earn valuable Junior Golf Foundation Order of Merit points, while also exposing them to a higher level of competition. We are particularly encouraged by the participation of juniors from different parts of the country, as this creates opportunities for interaction, learning and growth among the players,” said Singh.##NAJAVA_MECA_10095172##The championship is part of JGF's November regional WAGR-ranked junior golf series, which seeks to broaden access to competitive opportunities and support the development of junior golf across the country.Competition resumes at Nyeri Golf Club tomorrow, Saturday, 7 November, with players looking to improve their positions ahead of Sunday's final round.Nairobi City Thunder partners reveal ambitions to further invest in Kenyan basketball