Sharpshooting Stefan Andersen blazes PGA Tour trial
Golfer Stefan Andersen of Kenya putts on his way to a second place finish at the Vodacom Origins of Golf tournament in Arabella, Western Cape, South Africa, in August last year. Andersen became the first Kenyan to make the cut in a PGA European Tour sanctioned event - the South Africa Open, on January 13, 2017. PHOTO | FILE |
What you need to know:
- Muthaiga man makes one under par second round to advance in the BMW South Africa Open
- England’s Graeme Storm led the field with 12 under par 132 after an excellent 63 in the second round, leaving three others including American Peter Uihlein by two shots, before play was suspended due to bad weather at the time of writing.
South Africa-based professional Stefan Engell Andersen on Friday made history by becoming the first Kenyan golfer to make the cut in any PGA European Tour sanctioned tournament.
Andersen, a member of Muthaiga Golf Club in Nairobi, shot one under par 71 at the par 72 Glendower Golf Club at the City of Ekurhuleni in East Rand Region of Gauteng Province, to make the one under par second round cut in this year’s BMW South Africa Open.
It was, however, a nerve-wracking round where the 26-year-old former top Kenya amateur hit a double bogey, two single bogeys in the first nine, having started with a birdie at the first hole.
“I feel good though it has been a tough day. I have been playing really good golf though today’s first nine was more demanding,’’ he said.
But Andersen, a tough fighter, mounted a strong campaign at the back nine where he over shadowed a bogey at the 12th by hitting four back-to-back birdies at the closing four holes which produced the 71 and a two rounds total of one under par 143.
He was tying in 54th position along with 13 others and right in the cut. He qualified for the event by shooting four under par 68 at Kempton Park in Johannesburg early during the week.
He started his historic journey by shooting level par 72 during the opening round of the 15 million rand tournament which is the second oldest Open tournament besides the British Open.
“I hit a few shots which were not so good during the first nine, but I will try and keep the ball straight and try and go for birdies in the next round," said Andersen, who turned professional in 2011 after representing Kenya in several international amateur events including the 2010 Africa Zone Six championship in Botswana where Kenya clinched the title for the first time.
Andersen played in the World Amateur Championship and the All Africa Championship in 2011 where he finished second in the individual category.
He now stands a good chance of making his way to the big league (“Road to Dubai’’ series) if he is able to progress well in the remaining two rounds this weekend and other PGA sanctioned events within the Sunshine Tour series or elsewhere.
In 2004, another Kenyan pro Anil Shah qualified for the same event at Royal Durban Golf Club though he could not go past the first two rounds after hitting 80 twice.
Meanwhile, England’s Graeme Storm led the field with 12 under par 132 after an excellent 63 in the second round, leaving three others including American Peter Uihlein by two shots, before play was suspended due to bad weather at the time of writing.
