Junior golfers jet out for British Open Championship
Ashley Awuor follows the progress of her shot during a past golf tournament at Muthaiga Golf Club in Nairobi.
What you need to know:
- Fifteen-year-old Njoroge Kibugu of Muthaiga Golf Club and Golf Park's Ashley Awuor will be accompanied by the president of the Junior Golf Foundation (JGF) Gitonga Kabera to the event.
Kenya's junior golfers leave on Friday evening for St. Andrews, Scotland for this year's British Open Junior Championship which starts on Monday at the Eden Course.
Fifteen-year-old Njoroge Kibugu of Muthaiga Golf Club and Golf Park's Ashley Awuor will be accompanied by the president of the Junior Golf Foundation (JGF) Gitonga Kabera to the event.
This will be the first national assignment for the 15-year-old Kibugu, a student at St Austin Academy who is currently playing off handicap seven.
Ashley Awour, also playing off handicap seven, is a student at Olympic High School and was in the national junior team that represented Kenya in Morocco in April this year in the All Africa Junior Golf Championship, where Kenya finished fourth.
A total of eight countries participated in the girls’ category in the Morocco event.
The best boy and girl to represent Kenya in this tournament are selected at the Annual Kenya Junior Stroke play championship (Boys and Girls) held in August in the year preceding the Junior Open.
A once in a lifetime experience, the players will be featuring in a 54-hole championship and will have the opportunity there after of watching The British Open Championship, the world's oldest professional open golf championship.
Started in 1994, the Junior Open came under The R&A administrative umbrella in 2000. Staged every two years, the event is closely linked to The Open Championship and played on a nearby course.
All golfing nations affiliated to The R&A are invited to enter their best under 16 boy and girl golfers, playing off maximum handicap of 15.4. The following players have competed over the years: Sergio Garcia, Patrick Reed, Paula Creamer, Rory McIlroy, Camilo Villegas, Moriya Jutanugarn and Jordan Spieth.
One round of 18 holes shall be played on each of the first two days-Monday and Tuesday. The leading competitors - leading 80 and ties (gross) - shall qualify for the final 18 holes on the third day. The R&A has also organised a visit to the 147th Open to the juniors on Friday and Saturday - The Open will be played at Carnoustie.
