Dutchman Wil Besseling wins Karen Masters title

Dutchman Will Besseling holds aloft the KCB Karen Masters winners trophy at the par 72 Karen Country Club on March 19, 2017. PHOTO | MARTIN MUKANGU |

What you need to know:

  • Dutchman Wil Besseling fired his second back-to-back six under par 66 for a total of 12 under par, to clinch the inaugural KCB Karen Masters at the par 72 Karen Country Club course on Sunday.
  • Kenyan pro Greg Snow put up a sterling performance, to finish in fourth place.
  • Besselling, who said he had played seven times at Karen Country Club course without winning anything, set off for the day with a easy birdie at the par four-first hole, birdied the third, but dropped a shot at the tough par four-sixth.

Dutchman Wil Besseling fired his second back-to-back six under par 66 for a total of 12 under par, to clinch the inaugural KCB Karen Masters at the par 72 Karen Country Club course on Sunday.

Kenyan pro Greg Snow put up a sterling performance, to finish in fourth place.

Besselling, who said he had played seven times at Karen Country Club course without winning anything, set off for the day with a easy birdie at the par four-first hole, birdied the third, but dropped a shot at the tough par four-sixth.

He went up nine under after making a birdie at the 10th, and later on at the 13th, 14th, 15th and the home green for a total of 12 under par 132, to beat his compatriot Reinier Saxton by two shots.

“It is so nice winning something here, I have not given a winning speech for some time and must thank Karen and KCB for coming up with this event. I hope this is a good beginning for next week,’’ said Bessiling.

He won Sh412,000 (US$4,000) while Saxton, who shot four under par 68 for 134, took home Sh257,000 (US$2,500. In his round, Saxton birdied the first, second, eighth and ninth, dropped a shot at the par five-third, then birdied the 10th, and 15th and bogeyed the 14th.

England’s Tom Murray was third on eight under par 136 after a 69 in yesterday’s round that included seven birdies and four bogeys. Snow started the day by picking up an eagle and a birdie at the first two par fives at the front nine, where he also birdied the eighth to go five under for the day.

He moved to six under at the 10th where he birdied, then he drove out of bound at the 15th.

Snow however birdied the 17th and 18th to finish with six under par 66 and a two-round total of seven under par 137 to take home Sh92,700 (Us$900).

Meanwhile, getting into the top 14 was Njuguna Ngugi , who shot level par for a total of three under 141.

Speaking during the prize giving ceremony, KCB Group CEO Joshua Oigara said KCB was committed to support the event in three years.

“We would like to see the growth of professional golf in the country as we also venture to support the development of the game in the junior level to nurture talent. I would like to thank our co- sponsors for having come out to support this tournament.

Safaricom’s head of Enterprise Sales and Retention Tony Tugee said Safaricom was committed to continue its support for golf in Kenya through working in partnership with other stake-holders in the sport.

“We have been supporting golf through our annual Safaricom Business golf series and we look forward to engaging with stake-holders such as KGU, professional Golfers of Kenya to see the development of pro golf in the country’’.

FINAL LEADERBOARD

32 Wil Besseling (Ned) 66, 66

134 Reinier Saxton (Ned) 66, 68

136 Tom Murray (Eng) 67, 69

137 Greg Snow (Ken) 71, 66

139 Steven Brown (Eng) 75, 64

140 Daan Huizing (Ned) 72, 68

140 Borja Virto(Esp) 68, 72

140 Ben Evans(Eng) 68, 72

140Jurrian Van Der Vaart(Ned) 67, 73

140 Scot Fernandez(Esp) 70, 70

140 Oliver Wilson(Eng), 70, 70

140 Ross Kellett(sco) 69, 71