Day One leader Darius Van Driel, Tapio Pulkkanen, Conno Syme shared a one-shot lead heading into the penultimate day three of the Magical Kenya Open after tough course conditions at the Par 71 Muthaiga Golf Club.
Van Driel, of The Netherlands, fired two-under-par 69 to close the day’s proceedings with a gross total of 7 under par 135.
Fin pro-Pulkkanen played a round of two-under-par 68 to ascend to the summit and so was Scottish star Symewho, who fired four-under for the day.
The going was tough for past champions, who struggled on Day Two of the DP World Tour event characterised by searing heat and windy conditions in the morning session.
The 2022 champion Ashu Wu of China was glad to have escaped the axe by the skin of his teeth saying: “I think I played better today even though the course is getting tougher every day. I hit a lot of balls on the fairways and had amazing putts on the greens. I believe I still have the chance to redeem myself over the weekend.”
Former champion Guido Migliozzi of Italy is among the top casualties. Dismas Indiza in joint 81 position was the top-placed Kenyan with a gross total of two-over par 144. Ugandan Ronald Rugumayo made the cut with level par 142.
Meanwhile, DP World has continued its partnership with the Kenyan Junior Golf Foundation by donating a shipping container full of golf equipment.
The 20-foot container was unveiled in a special ceremony in the tournament village at Muthaiga Golf Club and it will then be moved to the Junior Golf Foundation HQ, based in Nairobi after the tournament.
The container houses golf equipment including balls, clubs, clothing and swing nets. This is an extension of DP World’s Second Life Container initiative, which has returned for the new season.
The container is designed to give golf balls a second life in grassroots golf projects around the world.
Golf balls collected during the season will be repurposed and redistributed to support grassroots golf projects. Over the past two seasons 280,000 golf balls, with the JGF in Kenya receiving more than 20,000 of these.
Day Two Leaderboard
1=(Sco) Connor Syme (-7) 67 ,68 = 135
1=(Fin) Tapio Pulkkanen (-7) 67, 68=135
1=(Ned) Van Driel, Darius (-7) 66, 69 = 135
4= (Ita) Lorenzo Scalise (-6) 68, 68 = 136
4=(Eng) Sam Hutsby (-6) 69, 67 = 136
4=(Esp) Manuel Elvira (-6) 70, 66 =136
4=(Sco) Ewen Ferguson (-6) 69, 67-136
Top Kenyans Scores
T81 (Ken) Dismas Indiza (+2 )74 ,70 = 144
T90 (Ken) Njoroge Kibugu (+3) 71, 74 =145
T101 (Ken) Michael Karanga (Am) (+4) 75, 71 = 146
T116 (Ken) Mutahi Kibugu (+6) 76 72 = 148
