DASANI GOLF GALA TEES OFF AT KIAMBU
Kenya Golf Union (KGU) Chairman Parshu Hirani (right) with officials of Dasani Water during the launch of Dasani Golf Gala
By CHARLES GACHERU
The second edition of the Dasani Golf Gala tee off tomorrow at the Kiambu Golf Club and is expected to have 18 events spread throughout the country.
Speaking during the tournament’s launch yesterday, Senior Marketing Brand Manager, Kenya, for Coca-Cola East and Central Africa Catherine Mudachi predicted an exciting tournament that would raise the bar for amateur golfers in Kenya.
“This year, we are charting new waters and making history in Kenya as the winners of the Dasani Golf Gala travel to Atlanta, the home of Coca-Cola, to the TOUR Championship presented by our company at the East Lake Golf Course in Atlanta, Georgia, USA,” Mudachi said.
The TOUR Championship has historically been the final event of the PGA Tour and the final event of the FedEx Cup. The TOUR Championship, presented by Coca-Cola, includes an elite field of the top 30 money winners on the PGA tour.
“While our winners will not play in the TOUR Championship, they will be VIP guests throughout the tournament and will freely interact with the top golfing professionals in the world,” Mudachi added. “Further, the PGA Tour has organized for our winners to play at their golf courses, including the TPC Sugarloaf and the TPC Blue Monster at Doral. Our VIP winners will also get a tour of The Coca-Cola Company headquarters in Atlanta.”
Last year, the Gala created excitement by offering the opportunity for teams to compete for the ultimate prize, a trip to the Gary Player Invitational, hosted by Gary Player at the Fancourt Golf Resort in South Africa. The Eldoret Golf Club team of Timothy Alala, Ahmed Ferej, Wilson Samoei and Michael Rotich were the winners of the inaugural Gala in 2010.
Speaking at the same ceremony, the Chairman of the KGU, Parshu Hirani, commended Dasani for supporting golf in Kenya. “On behalf of the Union, I would like to thank the Coca-Cola Company for continuously supporting golf in Kenya,” Hirani said. “I believe the new season will bring fresh excitement to Kenyan golfers and hopefully inspire all of us to play better golf.”
The 2011 Dasani Golf Gala will include 18 events and host participants from 38 golf clubs across the country and under the various bottler territories. Nairobi Bottlers Ltd. will host events at 14 different venues, whilst Rift Valley Bottlers, Kisii Bottlers, Equator Bottlers and Mt. Kenya Bottlers will host one event each. Over 10,000 club members will experience the 2011 Dasani Golf Gala.