I&N Classic Golf tournament overall winner Pranay Patel in action during the 2026 edition at Sigona Golf Club on Saturday./HANDOUT Pranay Patel says early preparations were key to his victory at the 2026 I&N Partners’ Classic golf tournament held at Sigona Golf Club on Saturday.
Patel arrived at the course at 6.30am, more than an hour before his scheduled 7.48am tee time, and used the extra time to clean his club grips.
Playing off handicap 20, Patel posted an impressive 44 Stableford points to win the tournament. He opened with a birdie on the first hole and went on to record two more birdies, maintaining impressive accuracy throughout his round.
“On Saturday I arrived extremely early at around 6.30am and my tee time was at 7.48am. So I took the opportunity to clean the grips of my clubs thoroughly,” said Patel.
“The clean clubs became more magical and I even scored a birdie on my first hole on #1. All my shots were straight like arrows. I went on to score two more birdies and I really tried for the hole-in-one prizes, even got on the green on #14 and got a birdie instead,” he added.
The victory was particularly special for Patel, who has participated in all three editions of the annual tournament since its launch in 2024. He revealed that he had dreamed of winning the overall title and even rescheduled his trip to India.
He thanked sponsors Igeria & Ngugi Advocates for their continued support, recalling his unsuccessful attempts at the two vehicle hole-in-one prizes during the 2025 edition.
“I have been privileged to have participated in all the last three tournaments. I remember having tried for the two grand hole-in-one prizes in 2025 and ended up with two birdies instead,” he said.
Patel added that he had imagined himself on the podium before the competition and hopes to return for another attempt at the hole-in-one prizes in 2027.
The two-day tournament attracted 490 player entries, with 210 golfers competing on Friday and another 280 on Saturday.
Ishwar Aildasani, playing off handicap 34, won the men’s title with 40 Stableford points, while Sally Ndemi claimed the women’s crown with an identical score. Sigona’s Jotham Ndiangui won Friday’s curtain-raiser with 40 Stableford points.
Ndiangui praised the organisers and golfing fraternity for making the tournament a success.
Tournament organiser David Njoroge, a partner at Attorneys Africa, said the event had grown from a small gathering of clients, colleagues and families into an annual fixture held during Customer Service Week, combining competitive golf with networking and business opportunities.
