Kenya Open: Pro-am takes centre stage

An impressive field of 208 comprising 52 professionals and 156 amateurs will be in action at the par 71 Karen Country Club Wednesday morning from 7.20am for the 2019 Kenya Open Pro-am.

The event, a curtain-raiser for the historical Open now known as the “Magical Kenya Open’’ gives a chance to some of the visiting pros who may not have had the opportunity of arriving in Kenya early to test the course in Tuesday’s official practice round.

It is also a great opportunity for the local amateurs to play with some of the world’s leading professionals as well as Kenya’s very own pros.

As is the norm, the pros who will play well will earn some consolation cash prizes while some take away prizes also await the amateurs.

Each pro is drawn with three amateurs since as this year there shall only be one Pro-am event unlike in the past where the Kenya Open Golf Limited hosted two Pro-am events.

The pros drawn include 13 local pros most of whom have been drawn in the morning session.

Among the local pros in action in the morning, will be Muthaiga’s Greg Snow who won most of the Safari Tour events which the Kenya Open Golf Limited used to select Kenya’s professionals to play in the Open.

Snow is drawn at 9.10am on the first tee with amateurs Samson Reuben Ndegwa, Musalia Mudavadi and P. Doherty.

Defending Kenya Open champion Lorenzo Gagli of Italy will be out to defend his title particularly after he failed to finish in the money list during last weekend’s Commercial Bank of Qatar Masters at Doha Golf Club in Qatar.

Gagli, is drawn alongside single figure handicap golfer Kamau Thugge from Muthaiga who is also the Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Finance alongside Royal Nairobi’s Ben Handa and William Maiyani.

Veteran professional Thomas Bjorn who is returning to Kenya for the first time in 24 years, will be in action along with Kipipiri MP Amos Kimunya, C. Ojiambo and A. Njoroge.

Sweden’s Sebastian Soderberg, who is a past Kenya Open winner, tees off at 1.20 alongside Kieni MP Kanini Kega, home player Mwangi Muthee and E. Muzahura.

Other interesting teams to watch out for will be that of Justin Harding from Stellenbosch, South Africa, who comes to Karen fresh from his two-shot victory in Qatar and amateurs Irungu Macharia, P. Kaberia and Mohammed Nyaoga.

Being a part of the European Tour now, the Open now attracts a huge number of professionals who play on both the European and America’s PGA Tour.

Started in 1967, the Open this year has a purse of 1.1 million euros (approximately Sh126 million).