All is set for Magical Kenya Open golf
By Barry.Silah, March 8, 2023
Preparations for the 56th edition of the Magical Kenya Open golf championships hit a high gear yesterday with organisers making final touches ahead of today’s Pro Am tournament that will act as a curtain raiser to the main event.
This year’s tournament with a prize money of Sh 256 million (USD 2m) has attracted a rich field of world renowned golfers including reigning champion Ashun Wu from China and the 2018 Winner Lorenzo Dagly of Italy.
Also in the list is German sensation Marvel Sin who won the Indian Open last week.
Speaking People Daily at the Muthaiga Golf Club yesterday ahead of the Pro Am event, Kenya Open Golf Limited (KOGL) General Manager Vincent Wangombe stated that all players had arrived and had gotten a feel of the course in readiness of a four day fiesta.
“We are ready and the Club Management has prepared the course well enough. There are no changes per se on the course but we anticipate good competition nonetheless given the field So what has been the main focus for the Planning Team has been basically improving quality of putting surface and the fairways plus managing quality of grass cover.We have an improved field of quality players from 144 of 2022 to 156 this year which means the interest has been immense and the cut will be at +65 for the Pros taking part,” he said.
Further Kenya Golf Union in conjunction with KOGL has allocated eight pro spots for local players and six additional amateur spots in the team with the aim of adding greater competitiveness.
Wangombe added: “Players that basically did well in the concluded Safari Tour made the cut and this year we have a new entrant invite in the form of Mutahi Kibugi of Muthaiga Golf Club who will take part and incidentally will play the same tournament as his brother Njoroge who carried Kenya’s flag as an amateur last year so really it should be interesting.
The six amateurs are quality players who have in recent months been active and win important tournaments like the Kenya Amateur Strokeplay including captain Dennis Maara, John Lonjirma who won the Kenya Amateur Golf Championship (KAGC) and Jay Sandhu who emerged runner-up.