Twenty-two-year-old Mutahi Kibubu has replicated what his younger brother Njoroge achieved at last year’s Magical Kenya Open as the sole Kenyan in the money bracket going into the weekend.
The indefatigable youngster fired a level par 71 on Day Two of the DP World Tour event to go to bed with an amazing two-day total of 3 under par 139 gross.
And he wowed spectators with a 30-foot downhill putt for a birdie on the par 5 eighteenth, where he wrapped up his day’s play with zest and vigour. Like last year, when his brother was the sole Kenyan into the weekend, Mutahi was all smiles to repeat the family feat.
He added that his finishing touch on the eighteenth reminded him of his brother Njoroge last year. He expounded: “It's an amazing accomplishment for the family, another Kibugu in the weekend a year on at the Kenya Open."
“It's an amazing accomplishment for our family. Last year was Njoroge and here I am in the money bracket. That last part was all good and I'm sure my brother just wanted me to follow in his footsteps."
“I mean, that birdie on the last hole was amazing. I will watch that for the next 50 years to come,” Mutahi quipped, adding: “I’m still excited to make the cut. I had a little bit of pressure going into the last two holes but I knew if I just kept in my game, I could probably get a birdie and I would be alright. I knew the cut was projected at -1 so I knew I was fine. I just want to continue having fun."
Asked about his double bogey on the par 3 sixteenth, Mutahi went on: “I didn’t put a good swing on that and made an error which I didn’t need to make. And that’s golf."
Mutahi heaped praise on his caddie Edwin Mudanyi who is his former Kenya team amateur and now a professional player.
“I and Edwin have come a long way. I played in the national team with him as an amateur for seven years before we both turned professional. And I have known him so well. We used to room with him and I wouldn't have achieved this cut without him.”
The second day of the Kenya Open saw the majority of the Kenyans struggle. Njoroge Kinugu failed to make the cut when he repeated another 72 for a gross total of 2 over par 144.
