German Hensleit in Vipingo eying Magical Kenya Ladies Open title defence

KILIFI, Kenya, Feb 9 – Defending champion and 2019 Order of Merit winner Esther Henseleit heads the strong field of 96 pros signed up for this week’s Magical Ladies Kenya Open.

The German superstar hopes to replicate her stellar form she displayed at Vipingo Ridge course in 2019.

South Africa’s Lee-Anne Pace, who was the Ladies European Tour (LET) Order of Merit winner for 2010 and winner at last season’s Investec SA Women’s Open is another star to watch in the Kenyan coast.

Also in the mix is two-time LET winner Julia Engström who makes a return to the Tour following time out from the game with a back injury.

Sanna Nuutinen of Finland and Germany’s Olivia Cowan, who finished fourth and fifth in the 2021 Race to Costa del Sol, will begin their season after securing status on the LPGA Tour.

The Ladies European Tour (LET) season will tee-off with the Magical Kenya Ladies Open with a strong field of  players drawn from 23 countries.

Competitors will tee it up at the Baobab Course and do battle in a 72-hole stroke play format from February 10-13.

France’s Lucie Malchirand, who won as an amateur last season, is also in the field as will LET Access Order of Merit and Rookie of the Year Lily May Humphreys.

Sweden’s Lisa Pettersson topped the standings at the Pre-Qualifier of LET Q-School and eventually finished in second place at the Final Qualifier to secure her card will make her LET debut.

The continent of Africa will be well represented with Pace being joined by fellow South Africans Casandra Hall, Stacy Lee Bregman and Lejan Lewthwaite.

They will tee it up alongside Nigeria’s Georgia Iziemgbe Oboh, Eswatini’s Nobuhle Dlamini and Morocco’s Maha Haddioui.

-Kenyan charge-

Kenyan amateurs Mercy Nyamchama and Naomi Wafula will be joined by Kenyan professional Bhavi Shah.

The event is sponsored by among others Safaricom.and KCB Bank while Capital FM  are the official radio partners for the event.

The Government of Kenya through the Sports Arts and Development Fund in conjunction with the Ministry of Sports has once again generously stepped up to support the event through provision of the prize fund. 

The tournament will be held from February 10-13 at the Ridge’s 18-hole Baobab Course, the continent’s single PGA-accredited course.

Organisers U.COM Event and Vipingo Ridge hope to deliver a great, incidentally the only women’s professional golf competition in the East African region.

TOURNAMENT INFORMATION

Location- Vipingo Ridge, Kikambala, Kenya

Established-2019

Course- Vipingo Ridge

Par-72

Tour–Ladies European Tour

Format-Stroke play

Prize fund-€300,000 (38.9mn)

Month played in 2019- December