Italians Guido and Gagli only Italians for Karen contest as organisers exclude players from China and Italy for fear of Coronavirus.
Players from China and Italy have been barred from taking part at the prestigious 2020 Magical Kenya Open Golf Championship that tees off at Karen Golf and Country Club in Nairobi on March 12 to 15.
This is due to the outbreak of the deadly Coronavirus (COVID-19) that is spreading across the world having started in Wuhan, China in January.
“People coming from there or have been there in the last two weeks will not take part in the tournament,” KOGL Tournament Director Patrick Obath told the media in Nairobi yesterday.
However, Obath was fast to clarify that none of the key players invited have visited the marked nations in recent weeks.
“We do not have a major threat of the virus coming into Kenya brought in by the golfers since those in the list have not visited the affected countries.
“So, basically all 144 contestants have not been stopped from coming to Kenya to take part in the tournament,” he said.
According to Obath, the competition has attracted a strong field this season owing to the cancellation of two major world championships because of coronavirus threat.
He said KOGL has invited five past winners, aka the Big Five, to spice up the event.
They are Haydn Porteous (2015), Sebastian Soderberg (2016), Aaron Rai who has Kenyan roots (2017), Lorenzo Gagli (2018) and Guido Migliozzi (2019).
“Their participation will help to promote the contest this year.”
“We have also invited other event champions including Chris Wood (2016 BMW Championship winner), Justin Harden (2019 Qatar Masters winner), Alexander Levi (Five-time European Tour champion) among others to help raise the standard of the competition,” he highlighted.
Kenya will be represented by eight professionals, who earned their qualification via the Safari Tour Series that concluded in Nairobi last Wednesday.
The local hard-hitters will be led by Mumias-based Dismas Indiza who topped the series. Others are Simon Ngige, Greg Snow, Ooko Erick Obura, David Wakhu, C.J Wangai, Rizwan Charania and Jastas Madoya.
Local amateurs, who will be in contention are Samuel Njoroge, Daniel Nduva, Paul Muchangi, Tarmun Malik, Mutahi Kibugu and Tanzanian Victor Joseph.
“We also have participants from South Africa, Zimbabwe and Nigeria who will contest for the Euro 1.1 million prize money,” Obath said.
KOGL has been working round the clock for eight months to ensure the pristine Karen course is in good shape for the event.
“We are projecting the rains pounding the city now will make the course interesting and challenging for the golfers, may the best carry the day,” Obath said.
