Scramble for Kenya Open millions starts at Muthaiga

It's all systems go as the star-studded field of 156 players including six amateurs take on the par 71 Muthaiga Golf Club course from 7am on Thursday in the Barclays Kenya Open golf championship.

This year, the Open which marks its 50th Anniversary and kicks off the European Challenge Tour series, has attracted probably the strongest field ever in its history.

Besides a number of regular players including 11 Challenge and European Tour winners, the Kenya Open will also has a number of new faces making their debut in the challenge series and who are capable of springing some surprises.

Leading the home challenge will be the big hitter Dismas Indiza, one of the three Kenyans who made it to the money list last year, the others being Rizwan Charania and Simon Ngige.

Indiza is no doubt a dependable player with all the ability to emerge victorious. “The last two rounds have always been a big problem for some of us probably because we are not used to playing four rounds in our events," said Indiza recently.

He says the recent qualifying events which were all played over 72 holes in various courses had helped them a lot and will help the locals particularly those who will make the cut, to try and play well in the closing rounds.

Besides the three, there is South Africa-based Stefan Andersen, who missed the cut narrowly last year, and Royal Nairobi’s Erick Ooko who has been enjoying a good run lately.

SNOW AT HOME

Being at home, Greg Snow may also put up a strong show depending on how he starts.

If the Kenya Open qualifying rounds played by the locals are anything to go by, there could be a bigger number of Kenyan players in the final two rounds this year.

Of the six amateurs who include Uganda’s Ronald Rugumayo, and Tanzania’s Victor Joseph, South Africa-based Daniel Nduva, a slow starter but a good finisher in all his events, could spring a surprise.

Players who have been up and about in both the European and Challenge Tours, plus some of the past winners such as Englishmen Gary Boyd and Robert Dinwiddie, and 1999 champion Maarten Lafeber are also in the mix.

Last year, Germany’s Sebastian Hiesele missed a European Card narrowly by finishing in 16th place. He is leading a strong contingent from Germany capable of fighting off the Swedish, the Dutch and the British who have dominated the Kenya Open ever since it was started in 1967.

Frenchmen Victor Riu and Victor Perez, who was ranked 18th in the 2017 Challenge Tour Order of Merit and who won in Spain last October, are also in contention for the prize. Perez and former European and French amateur champion Romain Langasque are expected to provide a strong French challenge this year at Muthaiga.

Langasque, who a few years ago shocked many after finishing second while still an amateur, came third in the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open a few weeks back.

He is on a mission to achieve what he failed to do at Karen. And for the first time, the Open will feature two Australians, Ashley Hall and Jack Munro, who are also out to build their profile in the Challenge Tour.

SOUTH AFRICANS IN TOWN

From the African continent, the South Africans are once again here to follow the footsteps of their colleagues who came, won and went on to claim some big titles elsewhere.

Peter Karmis, who won the recent Cape Town Open with an impressive 18 under par 270, will lead the South Africans at Muthaiga.

Teeing off for the 500,000 (Sh62.5 million) event, which is the richest this year, is set for 7am on both tees, and with the weather allowing, there should be some interesting scores posted as the event builds up towards the weekend.

Besides the top prize of 80,000 (about Sh10 million), there will be a Mercedes Benz worth Sh11 million, for any player firing in one at the par three-13th hole.