Pro-Am to get Karen Masters rolling
Stefan Andersen follows the progress of his shot from the first tee during a past tournament. PHOTO | FILE |
What you need to know:
- Local professionals now move to the par 72 Karen Country Club course this weekend for the KCB-sponsored Karen Masters.
- The tournament will mark Karen’s 80th anniversary.
- The Kenyan pros including Stefan Andersen, Greg Snow and Dismas Indiza will join over 40 visiting players from various European countries some of whom have been in the country before for the Kenya Open.
Local professionals now move to the par 72 Karen Country Club course this weekend for the KCB-sponsored Karen Masters.
The tournament will mark Karen’s 80th anniversary.
The Kenyan pros including Stefan Andersen, Greg Snow and Dismas Indiza will join over 40 visiting players from various European countries some of whom have been in the country before for the Kenya Open.
The first two rounds on Friday and Saturday will be a Pro-Am where the pros will be paired with local amateurs.
Friday's individual scores for the pros will be carried forward for Sunday’s professionals only round.
A total of $15,000 (about Sh1.5 million) will be at stake for the pros while an array of take away prizes awaits the local amateurs.
However, the Kenyan pros will be winding up the Jamii Telkom PGK Masters at Sigona on Friday and will be in action at Karen during Saturday ’s second Pro-Am.
Among the visiting pros drawn on Friday will be Northern Ireland’s Max Orrin, Englishman Mathew Baldwin, Frenchman Edouard Dubuis, all regular Challenge Tour players.
Professional Golfers of Kenya (PGK) captain John Wangai says the Karen event will be good for the locals as they will be playing on almost similar condition to the 2017 Barclays Kenya Open at Muthaiga.
“This is also good for our participation at the forthcoming Kenya Open. The Road to Kenya Open qualifiers, and the on going Jamii PGK Masters will boost us immensely in terms of form,” said Wangai.
KCB Group Chief Operating Officer Samuel Makome said: “KCB will continue being at the centre of supporting the growth of this sport. We believe in supporting great ideas that will enable the country progress,”
Tickets to access the course will sell for Sh500 covering the entire event.
Meanwhile at the club level, Ruiru Sports Club host the Chairman’s Prize this weekend where once again a big field of over 200 was drawn to battle it out for overall title in addition to a number of other prizes.
The event following the Lady Captain and last weekend’s Captain’s Prize is sponsored by Kenya Tourism Board and national broadcaster, KBC.
This marks the first year of the current chairman Fr. Wilfred Mwaura. ‘‘We appreciate all the corporate and individual sponsors who have been very instrumental in the great success we have achieved in this year’s golf calendar,’’ said the outgoing Captain, Martin Karanja.
During last weekend’s event, Joseph Wahome clinched the overall title though with a low score of 34 points.
He and the people he beat, Joseph Mugo and John Gitau will be the players to watch.
At Limuru , Kellie Gachaga will be hunting for another national title as she leads a field of 100 ladies who includes Kiambu’s Joyce Wanjiru and Eldoret’s Esther Chumo.
