De Jager, Singh Brar take early lead at Kenya Open

Louis De Jager follows the progress of his tee shot from the 7th tee on Day One of the Magical Kenya Open Golf Championship on March 14, 2019 at Karen Country Club, Nairobi, Kenya. PHOTO | CHRIS OMOLLO |

What you need to know:

  • Singh Brar set the pace with a clean 64 which was propelled by an eagle three at the sixth hole which was followed by three straight birdies at the seventh, eighth and ninth to cross to the back nine on five under.

South Africa’s Louis De Jager and England’s Jack Singh Brar fired seven under par each to share the round one lead at the close of play in the Magical Kenya Open golf tournament at the par 71 Karen Country Club course.

And it was Singh Brar who set the pace with a clean 64 which was propelled by an eagle three at the sixth hole which was followed by three straight birdies at the seventh, eighth and ninth to cross to the back nine on five under.

He made two birdies at the 11th and 12th, parred the rest to grab the lead for a while before the South African returned his 64. De Jager dropped an early shot at the second but this did not seem to have made any impact on his game as he quickly pulled two shots back at the third and fourth, added two more at the seventh and eighth.

He closed the first nine in great style, firing in with two at the par four-ninth. He then picked up two successive birdies on the 12th and 13th, dropped his only shot at the 14th but closed the day with a birdie at the 18th, to share the lead with Brar.

Earlier, India’s Bhullar Gaganjeet had fired six under 65 to wind up the day in third place on his own as Spain’s Adri Arnaus posted bogey-free five under par 66 to tie for fourth place with England’s Michael Hoey.

Arnaus birdied two holes at the front nine and three at the back nine while Hoey dropped a shot at the seventh but made birdies on the ninth, 10th, 11th, 16th, 17th and 18th. It was Chile’s Leon Hugo who set the pace among the morning players, with six birdies though two bogeys at the third and fourth denied him a leading position at the top of the leaderboard.

He was eventually joined by six others also on four under par 67, tying for the sixth place. The other six included Frenchman Romain Langasque who some years ago, finished second in the Open at the same venue, then an amateur.

The leaderboard:

Jack Singh Brar (ENG) 64

Louis De Jager (SA) 64

Bhullar Gaganjeet (IND) 65

Adri Arnaus (ESP) 66

Michael Hoey (ENG) 66
Philipo Bergamaschi (ITA) 67

Leon Hugo (CHI) 67

Christiaan Bezuidenhout (SA) 67

Josh Geary (NZ) 67

Guido Migliozzi (ITA) 67

Liam Johnston(SCO) 67

Romain Langasque (FRA) 67