Africa-Press – Kenya. For the first time in history, Kenya hosted back-to-back European Tour events — the Magical Kenya Open and the Kenya Savannah Classic.
Due to the Covid-19 situation at the time, the Savannah Classic was intended to be a one-off event and created a two-week “Kenyan swing” with the Magical Kenya Open being played at the same location the week prior.
A total of 15 Kenyan professionals and four foreigners qualified to play in both events through the 2020-2021 Safari Tour Season 3, under a stringent Covid-19 bubble environment.
As expected, leading locals didn’t impress much with the likes of Simon Ngige, Dismas Indiza, and Greg Snow failing to make cuts at both events.
The regional pros who qualified from Safari Tour were Dismas Indiza, Robson Chinhoi (Zimbabwe), Greg Snow, Simon Ngige, David Wakhu, Ooko Erick Obura, John Wangai, and Samuel Njoroge,
Others who sailed through included Jastas Madoya, Edwin Inana Asuza, Rizwan Charania, Mathew Omondi, Jacob Okello, Anthony Juma, Mohit Mediratta, Andrew Odoh (Nigeria), Matthew G. Wahome, Phillip Kasozi (Uganda), and Deo Akope (Uganda).
The amateur golfers who qualified to play in the 2021 Magical Kenya Open were the 2019 Kenya Amateur Matchplay Championship winner Paul Muchangi, Tanzanian Victor Joseph who clinched the 2019 Kenya Amateur Strokeplay Championship.
The star-studded pack also roped in 2020 Kenya Amateur Matchplay champion Isaac Makokha and holder of the 2020 Kenya Amateur Strokeplay Championship, Jay Sandhu.
Mutahi Kibugu had qualified as the top junior in Kenya but his caddie tested positive for COVID-19 and since they had travelled in the same taxi from Muthaiga, he was not allowed to participate. Adel Balala was called in to take Kibugi’s place. Taimur Malik was second in the Junior Golfers ranking.
For the Kenya Savannah Classic, Victor Joseph and Paul Muchangi, who were the bottom two performers in the MKO, were replaced by Njoroge Kibugu who was ranked third in the Junior rankings and Michael Karanga who was second in the 2020 Kenya Amateur Golf Championship.
VAN TONDER’S MAIDEN EUROPEAN TOUR TITLE
Daniel van Tonder secured his first European Tour title at the Kenya Savannah Classic after defeating Jazz Janewattananond with a birdie on the third playoff hole at Karen Country Club.
The 30-year-old South African posted a closing seven-under-par round of 64 to join Thailand’s Janewattananond on 21-under par. After both players parred the first two trips back down the 18th hole, it was third time lucky for van Tonder as he converted his short birdie putt following a sublime approach.
He was eight-under-par after 13 holes following five gains in a row from the ninth hole, but back-to-back bogeys at the 14th and 15th handed the advantage to Janewattananond. He needed to find something special and he holed a lengthy birdie putt on the final hole to force extra holes.
David Wakhu was the local attraction after wrapping up Day One of Kenya Savannah Classic in joint 12th. An eagle on par 5, 11th saw the Golf Park pro close the day on 5 under par 66.
Such was the excitement that characterised Wakhu’s fairy tale run at the par 71 Karen Country Club course.
WAKHU POWERS TO MONEY BRACKET
Wakhu’s two rounds of 66-68 placed him in the money bracket of the Kenya Savannah Classic after Kenya Vision 2030 sponsored pro closed Day Two tied for 14th.
The Golf Park professional made 7 birdies and 4 bogeys to wrap up the second round on an impressive 8 under par 134. On the second day of the tournament, the on-form Wakhu played a round of 3 under 68 to make up for his Magical Kenya Open woes where he missed the cut.
Wakhu finished the Savannah Classic event tied for 57 with a gross cumulative total of 7under par 277.
HARDING SEALS SECOND EUROPEAN TOUR TITLE
South Africa’s Justin Harding produced a flawless final round of five-under-par 66 at the Kenya Open to seal a two-shot victory over Kurt Kitayama.
Harding, whose maiden tour win came two years ago at the Qatar Masters, maintained his composure amid a steady challenge from American Kitayama to finish on 21 under par at the Karen Country Club in Nairobi.
Kitayama almost caught up with Harding after making two eagles and two birdies to reduce the gap to one shot, but a bogey on the 11th meant he fell short.
Scotland’s Connor Syme finished with a 64 to secure third place ahead of Spaniard Sebastian Garcia Rodriguez. Railway Club golfer Samuel Njoroge is the only Kenyan who made the cut as the magical Kenya Open entered the halfway stage at the Karen Country Club.
Njoroge who turned pro last year in October made it to the money bracket with a 2 under par 140 score. He played a round of three-under.
“I was relaxed, more than the opening day. It was my second day and I knew the course so I said, today I have to play well. Then on seven, I lost my ball and then on hole 14 I lost a ball again, but I recovered very well,” Njoroge said of his second-day experience. He finished the event in 77th position
EUROPEAN TOUR BUBBLE ENVIRONMENT
Golfers attending the Magical Kenya Open Tournament and Savannah Classic spent two weeks in an unprecedented Covid-19 bubble which entailed strict access to hotels and venues only.
At least 700 people were involved in running the two tournaments where stringent rules had to factor in to avoid situations of a super spreader.
All players, caddies, tournament administrators and anyone who was going to be in close proximity with the players including the media had to be confined to a controlled environment which entailed four hotels and the event venue at the Karen Country Club.
The bubble locked out several media personalities who couldn’t manage the bubble costs of being in a hotel environment for a fortnight.
SAFARI TOUR SEASON 3
The 2021-2022 Safari Tour season started at Sigona Golf Club in October. After the final round, Mohit Mediratta, Edwin Inana Asuza (AKA Edwin Mudanyi) and Taimur Malik (a junior amateur golfer) were tied at four under par.
Malik, from Muthaiga Golf Club, won the season opener by beating the two professionals after two playoff holes to win the first tournament of the season. Only one other amateur, Michael Karanga, has ever won a Safari Tour event during the 2018-2019 Safari Tour season at Limuru Country Club.
The first amateur to book a ticket to the 2022 Magical Kenya Open was John Lejirma from Railway Golf Club, who won the 99th edition of the Kenya Amateur Match Play Championship at Muthaiga Golf Club.
Adel Balala managed to get the second direct ticket when he won the 2021 Kenya Amateur Strokeplay Championship that was played at Nakuru Golf Club.
Adel also went ahead to win the Kenya Amateur Golf Championship series. Michael Karanga was second and the Kenya Golf Union officials decided to give him the third amateur ticket for the 2022 Magical Kenya Open.
Adel Balala is the best-ranked amateur golfer in Kenya on the World Amateur Golf Ranking. The best ranking he achieved this year was 141, the best ever a Kenyan has ever achieved. He is currently ranked 168th after he managed the 8th position at the Abu Dhabi Amateur Championship earlier this month.
KENYA AMATEUR GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP 2021
Tournament winners
1 Sigona Bowl -Michael Karanga
2 Mt. Kenya Championship- Michael Karanga
3 Muthaiga Open- Bo Ciera
4 Coronation and Bendor Trophy- Dennis Maara
5 Limuru Open & Brackenhurst Trophy- Michael Karanga
6 Kenya Amateur Matchplay Championship- John Lejirma
7 Karen Challenge- Taimur Malik
8 Ronald Marshall & Toby Gibson Cup- Peter Rimui
9 Windsor Classic -Mutahi Kibugu
10 Kabete Open- Adel Balala
11 Trans-Nzoia Championship- Adel Balala
12 Tea Fields Trophy -Michael Karanga
13 Winston Churchill- Adel Balala
14 Nandi Bears Open Shield Nelson Koech
15 Kenya Amateur Strokeplay Championship- Adel Balala16 Coast Open “Barry Cup” -Adel Balala
17 Manchester Salver -Simon Karari
18 Goldfields Trophy- Nelson Koech
19 Railway Invitational- John Lejirma
20 Nyanza Open “Hippo Pot” -Dennis Maara21 Uhuru Shield -John Lejirma
22 Nyali Open- Adel Balala
GOLFER OF THE YEAR Adel Balala2021/2022
SAFARI TOUR WINNERS SO FAR
•Sigona -Taimur Malik (Am)
•Nyali-Deo Akope (Uganda)
•Vet Lab- Robinson Chinhoi (Zimbabwe)
•Great Rift-David Wakhu (Golf Park)
For More News And Analysis About Kenya Follow Africa-Press
