After failing to make the final team of eight from Safari Tour, Great Rift pro Jatas Madoya has been handed a lifeline to feature in the DP World Tour Kenya Open scheduled for February 22 - 25 at Muthaiga Golf Club.
Madoya was included alongside Ugandan David Kamulindwa (Entebbe Golf Club) after two slots fell vacant.
Kenya Open tournament director, Patrick Obath speaking during the Absa sponsorship launch at Muthaiga Golf Club said: “The amateur team for the Kenya Open has scaled down to four players because two players from the team will be in South Africa for the continental Championship.”
Obath continued: “This means the two slots, earlier allocated to the amateurs, will now be given to the professionals.”
Amateurs Dennis Maara and Adel Balala—earlier earmarked for the MKO, will be away in South Africa for the continental event.
Madoya was all smiles after securing the slot: “It’s such a great feeling joining the Kenya team after failing to make it to the final eight. The good thing this time round is that we now have the opportunity to feel the Championship venue at Muthaiga and master the course a lot more.”
Professional Golfers of Kenya (PGK) chairman CJ Wangai, said the pros will camp at Muthaiga until the start of the event.
“It’s the first time that we have an opportunity to train at Muthaiga for the longest time possible for the tournament. Local knowledge will play out in the long run,” said Wangai.
This year’s Magical Kenya Open will be presented by ABSA while other corporates will be EABL, Safaricom, Coca-Cola and Toyota Kenya, which will offer a car for a hole-in-one. The event will start with the Pro-Am on Wednesday, February 21 followed by the event proper on February 22.
It will be part of the “Global Swing” in the new-look 2024 DP World Tour (formerly European Tour) with a minimum of 44 tournaments in 24 countries across five continents, underlining its status as golf’s global Tour.
The tour also dubbed ‘Race to Dubai’ features three new and distinct phases — five innovative ‘Global Swings’ from November 2023 to August 2024, a historic ‘Back 9’ from September 2024 to October 2024 and two ‘DP World Tour Play-offs’ in November 2024.
Safari Tour's regional pros
Visitor Mapwanya(Zim)
Ronald Rugumayo (Ug)
Kenyan amateurs
Michael Karanga (Kiambu)
John Lejirma (Railways)
Josphat Rono (unattached)
Isaac Makokha (Vet Lab)
Category 8 — national spots
Dismas indiza (Kakamega SC)
Samuel Njoroge (Railways)
Greg snow (Muthaiga)
Daniel Nduva (Muthaiga)
Njoroge Kibugi (Muthaiga)
Mike Kisia (Vetlab)
Mohit Mediratta, (Sigona GC)
Mutahi Kibugu (Muthaiga GC)
Jastas Madoya (Great Rift)
David Kamulindwa (Entebbe GC)
