•Today and tomorrow’s rounds will be a major test for local pros as they will be used as a yardstick to ascertain those who make the cut to the last two rounds on Saturday and Sunday.
•Ngige and Madoya will be hoping for a repeat of 2019 European Tour Kenya Open, where they made the cut and proceeded to the money bracket category.
Image: / FILE
Local pros begin their hunt for elusive Magical Kenya Open win today under the bubble environment at the Karen Country Club.
Leading home pros in the European Tour event are Greg Snow and Dismas Indiza, the winner of the 2020/21 Safari Tour Golf Series. This year’s event will perhaps feature the strongest field with five former champions enlisted for action.
Today and tomorrow’s rounds will be a major test for local pros as they will be used as a yardstick to ascertain those who make the cut to the last two rounds on Saturday and Sunday.
Other locals to watch are Golf Park’s David Wakhu, Rizwan Charania (Windsor), Great Rift Valley man Justus Madoya and Simon Ngige.
Madoya and Ngige will be hoping for a repeat of the 2019 European Tour Kenya Open, where they made the cut and proceeded to the money bracket category.
“We stand a good chance of playing well in this year’s MKO. Personally, I’m feeling more confident and ready for action,” said Ngige.
Snow is by and large the most consistent of the established players in Team Kenya. “I’m excited and looking forward to this year’s MKO, especially after last year’s absence. Karen is indeed one of my favourite courses, having played there severally. For now, I’m aware of my target zones,” said Snow.
Snow believes home pros are more prepared and have a home course advantage, having navigated each and every corner of the par 71 course.
Indiza is optimistic of his prospects in the Magical Kenya Open and the subsequent Savannah Classic event which makes its European debut next week.
“We are coming from a tough Safari Tour schedule which featured back-to-back events. I believe we are better prepared this time round and foresee many making the cut. We have spent the last few days on the range and joining the bubble makes it even better as we are more prepared for the event unlike in the past,” Indiza said.
However, Snow has been working on the rusty facet of his game ahead of Karen Country Club event. “Safari Tour found me in rusty form with a lot of inconsistencies,” said Snow.
Aaron Rai will be among five past winners signed up for the event that starts on Thursday through to Sunday.
Others are Swede star Sebastian Soderberg (2016), Haydn Porteous of South Africa (2015) as well as Italian duo Lorenzo Gagli (2018) and Guido Migliozzi (2019).
Rai, who has Kenyan roots, joined the Challenge Tour after coming through the Euro-Pro Tour in 2016, securing his first victory the following season at the Kenya Open.
That win had a special significance as his Kenya-born mother saw him triumph in her first visit to her home country for 47 years. Rai also lifted the title on what was Mothering Sunday in the UK.
Soderberg, who is attached to Black Mountain GC, has become a regular visitor in Kenya since his memorable win in 2016. He earned his first European Tour win in thrilling fashion, defeating Rory McIlroy, Kalle Samooja, Lorenzo Gagli and Andres Romero in a five-way play-off to win the 2019 Omega European Masters.
Soderberg’s breakthrough win came at the Kenya Open in 2016, the same year the Swede qualified for the U.S. Open at Oakmont and came through Qualifying School to earn a debut season on the European Tour in 2017. The event will each feature 156 players.