Four Kenyan professional golfers have earned direct qualifications to the inaugural KCB Karen Masters set for March 17-19 at the par 71 Karen Country Club.
The quartet of South Africa-based Stefan Andersen, long-hitting Dismas Indiiza, Bryan Njoroge and Thika’s Simon Ngige will be among the 22 pros Kenya will enter in the international event.
Close to 70 local and European Challenge Tour pros will grace the event as part of the club’s 80th anniversary celebration. Stefan, one of the fastest-rising youngsters in the game currently, earned an automatic qualification by virtue of his current form while Indiza, Ngige and Njoroge got their slots by making the cut at last year’s Kenya Open Championship.
Andersen won accolades recently by making the cut during the prestigious Johannesburg Open, which is a European Tour event. Professional Golfers of Kenya captain John Wangai said the rest of the team will be selected after the final qualifier at Muthaiga later this month. Currently, Rizwan Charania and Wangai top the standings after the first event at Sigona recently.
During the official launch of the Karen Masters, whose winner will win a coveted ‘Blue Jacket’—KCB committed Sh12 million towards the sponsorship for the event that will now be an annual event. The move will see the bank also sponsor a number of club nights and tournaments across the country.
Day One of the Masters will feature a Pro-Am minus local pros, who will then be committed with Jamii PGK Masters. Day Two will see another Pro-Am which alongside the last round on Day 3 will determine the winner of the inaugural event.
Tournament’s director, Andy Watt, said the Pro-Am will offer the local amateurs an opportunity to brush shoulders with top Challenge Tour stars. “Europe is currently very cold and we expect the Europeans to play well on the high altitude tropical golf,” said Watt. KCB chief operation officer, Sammy Makome, who was flanked by the club’s chairman Lawrence Kimathi and PGK chairman Jacob Okello said the bank will remain the event’s title sponsors for the first three years.
Makome said the invitation of foreigners is a clear indication that Kenya play a leading role in the promotion of sports tourism and the sport of golf. Watt said the Challenge Tour secretariat will release the full list of foreigners by March 13. “Invitations are underway and we expect the tournament to be oversubscribed,” he said.
The tournament has attracted players from Australia, Sweden, Denmark and France among other golf playing nations. “The fans should expect a great knockout competition during the three-day event,” he said adding that the tickets will be selling for Sh500 covering the entire event.
Karen Master will be the last build up for locals and foreigners ahead of the Kenya Open which returns to Muthaiga a weekend after.
A total prize fund of US$15,000 will be at stake.
