Kenya’s Bhavi Shah is excited to be the sole lady pro representing the country at the Ladies European Tour’s Magical Kenya Ladies Open which tees off today at Vipingo Ridge’s PGA Baobab course.
The Nyali-based pro is representing the country alongside four amateurs Agnes Nyakio, former Kenya Ladies champion Naomi Wafula, Mercy Nyanchama ( Vet Lab) and Golf Park’s Margaret Njoki.
Shah is lined up for Match 1 and will tee it up at 7:30 am from the first tee alongside Agathe Sauzon of France and Nobuhle Dlamini of Swaziland.
“It’s such a great feeling to play alongside Tour stars and this couldn’t have come at a better time when Kenya is hosting its maiden Ladies European Tour,” Shah remarked.
Meanwhile, Kenyan amateurs are all set and ready for the fairy-tale experience at Vipingo. Njoki is lined up for match 34 and will tee it up from the tenth tee alongside German pros Sophie Hausmann and Carolin Kauffmann.
Naomi is on Match 24, starting off from the first tee along with Finn Ursula Wikstrom and Charlotte Thompson from England.
Other African golfers in the mix are Nigeria’s Georgia Iziemgbe Oboh, Nobuhle Dlamini (Swaziland), Stacy Lee Bregman and Lejan Lewthwaite(South Africa), Maha Haddioui (Morocco) and Lakareber Abe, an American with roots in Uganda.
The format of the tournament will be 72-hole stroke play; running over four days. The event will be followed by over 270 million people worldwide in the live broadcast live over four days. Besides Magical Kenya which is the title sponsor and the presenting partner M-Pesa, the Open has also attracted other corporate organizations including KCB, Capital FM, Aquamist, East Africa Breweries, Turkish Airlines, Vipingo Development, Kenya Ports Authority and Wilken Kenya.
The event, whose total prize fund is 300,000 Euros (Sh33 million) had by this week attracted a field of 108 players drawn from Europe, America and Africa. The winner of the event will walk away with 45,000 Euros (Sh5 million).