With the KCB Karen Masters 2019 celebrating it’s second year in the prestigious Sunshine Tour, local professional and amateurs have an opportunity to sharpen their skills in a five-leg qualifying series dubbed ‘Road to The Masters’.
Speaking during the launch of the five series at the Karen Country Club on yesterday, KCB Group director of marketing and communications, Angela Mwirigi said: “We are redefining golfing in Kenya by increasingly giving more opportunities to amateur and professional golfers across the country”
“We believe in growing sports talent for local and international competitions. It’s our way of using golf to promote sports tourism and as a result catalyzing Kenya’s economic growth agenda.”
Professionals will play in the last four events apart from Sigona while amateurs will play in five rounds of the Road to the Masters. This year will be Karen Master’s third edition.
The qualifying events for this year will feature a Pro-Am competition, where amateurs have an opportunity to play alongside pros.
Among the pros expected for the event are Dismas Indiza (Mumias), Greg Snow (Muthaiga), David Wakhu (Golf Park), Rizwan Charania (Windsor), Jacob Okello, Eric Ooko of Royal and CJ Wangai (Sigona). The ‘Road to The Masters’ will begin with amateur tournament at Sigona on February 25. On March 30, action moves to Sigona while Thika leg is scheduled for Apri13.
Nakuru will host the penultimate leg on May 11 with the final qualifier set for June 15 at Royal. The bank has set aside Sh2 million as prize money for the local pros with the winner of each of the four tournaments going home with Sh500,000. Karen Masters will be held at the Karen Country Club on June 25-30.
“We appreciate the confidence the golfing fraternity has in our brand and we certainly see this as a long term partnership with mutual benefits not only for the golfers in the region but also for the bank in terms of extending its reach across the country,” Mwirigi added.
Professional Golfers of Kenya
has been tasked by the bank to coordinate the pros for the ‘Road to the Masters’.
The Prize money for the pros will be split 60/40 for each leg.
The 60 percent will be prize money for the top 15 finishers and 40 percent will be set aside as a bonus amount for those who meet the set scores for the different courses, PGK Chairman Charan Thethy said.