Local favorite Greg Snow has the company of winner Justin Harding and Dane Thomas Bjorn as the Magical Kenya Open presented by Absa in the company gets underway today.
Local favourite Greg Snow has the company of winner Justin Harding and Dane Thomas Bjorn as the Magical Kenya Open presented by Absa in the company gets underway today.
South Africa’s Harding birdied three of his final four holes to claim his maiden European Tour title at the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters at Doha Golf Club last week. He will begin his bid for back-to-back titles at 13.00hrs at Karen Country Club today alongside Snow and Bjorn, who finished in a tie for second at the Kenya Open on the European Challenge Tour in 1995.
Haydn Porteous, who has fond memories of this week’s host venue, having secured his maiden professional victory on this course at the 2015 Kenya Open on the Challenge Tour will be joined by Gonzalo Fernandez-Castaño and internet sensation Hosung Choi for the first two rounds, with the trio getting started at 12.50 in the afternoon.
Italy’s Lorenzo Gagli, who won last year’s Barclays Kenya Open on the Challenge Tour before earning his European Tour card, will start at 13.10 on Thursday alongside Gaganjeet Bhullar and George Coetzee. Indian star Shubhankar Sharma, Adri Arnaus and Kenyan Dismas Indiza Anyonyi are among the early starters on Day One, kicking off their first rounds at 08.10.
Gagli said yesterday that he’s looking to kick start his European Tour season as he defends his title at this week’s Kenya Open. “It’s amazing to come back to Kenya,” he said. “I have a lot of good memories from last year so I’m really excited to play here again.
“The prize giving was really fun last year. There were a lot of people and the President of Kenya, it was really special to be there.
“Sometimes it’s not easy. It’s a tough job, but at the same time it’s really good because you can visit all these kind of countries like Kenya. I love Kenya and Africa. The people are amazing here.”
Countryman Renato Paratore also enjoys the globe-trotting nature of life on the European Tour, arriving in Kenya after back-to-back events in the Middle East and before playing in Malaysia next week. The 2017 Nordea Masters winner has not played this event before and expects a good test at high altitude.
“I feel good,” Paratore said, adding: “I like the course; it’s a good challenge, also very good weather so I’m going to enjoy it.
“You have to play every part of the game well because from the tees and also around the greens is not easy, so it’s a good test.
“When you are in Europe four in a row is easier but I went from Qatar, then here and then Malaysia. It’s good because I like to travel and discover new places.” edit this text.