KBL Managing Director Jane Karuku (left) and Kenya Open Golf tournament Director Patrick Obath during the cheque presentation.

By Amanda Damaris

Kenya Breweries Limited has today announced a KSh 6 million sponsorship towards the 50^th edition of Barclays Kenya Open Golf Tournament, through its Johnnie Walker brand.

This is the seventeenth year that KBL has sponsored the tournament and the second year for the Johnnie Walker brand. The tournament will take place from 22^nd to 25^th March 2018 at Muthaiga Golf and Country Club. This year, 156 golfers, including about 22 Kenyan professionals, six Kenyan amateurs and over 100 European Challenge Tour players, are expected at the Championship.

Speaking during the cheque handover ceremony, KBL Managing Director, Mrs Jane Karuku noted the importance of Kenya Open Golf Championship to Johnnie Walker and KBL as it is one of Kenya’s top sporting events with a large local, regional and global reach.

“The Kenya Open Golf tournament has demonstrated a rich legacy of longevity that blends well with the Johnnie Walker brand that has been serving beverages for over 150 years. We are proud to be associated with this tournament, which is a key fixture in the golf circuit,” Mrs Karuku said.

KBL through its Johnnie Walker product range will provide drinks for the players and spectators. “KBL through Johnnie Walker and its brand character; perfect for sharing at life’s celebratory moments resonates with golf as an avenue to achieve these goals.  We welcome our continued participation in the sport and this year’s tournament is a validation of that,” added Mrs Karuku.

KBL has partnered with the Kenya Open tournament since the late 1980s, when the event was part of the Safari Tour. From 1998 to 2001, Tusker was the title sponsor of the Kenya Open and again from 2005 to 2009. From 2010 to 2016, Tusker Malt Lager was the Kenya Open official alcoholic beverage partner, delivering refreshment moments to golfing fans in a way that only the best, thereafter Johnnie Walker became the Gold Sponsor in 2017 and 2018. This year’s sponsorship deal is a KSh 1million increment from last year’s, reinforcing KBL’sconfidence in the event among golf lovers in the country.

Ms Karuku lauded the tournament’s organisers, for delivering what is arguably Kenya’s most prestigious golf tourney. “Efforts to consistently attract and maintain first-class standards have made the Kenya Open Golf what it is, for more than 50 years later” she added.

Speaking at the same event, Kenya Open Golf Limited Director, Dr. S. R Ndegwa, expressed delight at having KBL on board for Tournament. He also stated that this year’s tournament is set to offer a lot of exciting and fun activities for spectators.

He said the tournament has established itself as a competitive, fun and engaging activity for both players and spectators, attracting a new and younger audience each year.

“Our ambition as organisers of this tournament is to attract new and younger audiences. That is why we are always looking at new ways to innovate around our flagship events. We would like to make golf a game for everyone in Kenya,” he said.

Tournament Director Peter Obath said their main aim is to make the competition that will be held at the Muthaiga Golf Club from March 22-25 rise beyond Kenya Open and join the European Tour. pandora charms uk pandora charms uk

From Left PGK director Elisha Kasuku, PGK Chairman Charan Thethy, KOGL Chairman Peter Kanyago and KGU chairman Richard Wanjala pose at the Muthaiga Golf Club.

By AMANDA DAMARIS

The Kenya Open Golf Limited (KOGL) has today announced a Ksh2 Million sponsorship towards the Professional Golfers of Kenya to support preparations of the Kenyan professional golfers ahead of the 2018 Barclays Kenya Open Golf Championship.

This year’s tournament will see a field of 22 Kenyan golfers go against over 100 international professionals for a total prize kitty of £500,000 (KES. 62.5 Million – the biggest kitty on the European Challenge Tour. Speaking during the cheque hand over at the Muthaiga Golf Club, KOGL Chairman, Mr. Peter Kanyago, expressed the board’s commitment towards improving golf standards in the country.

“At the Kenya Open Golf Limited, we remain deeply committed to ensure that the sport of golf grows, not just among the professional players, but also among the junior players. To this effect, we are sponsoring the Professional Golfers of Kenya to the tune of KShs 2 Million to ensure that they have the best preparations possible. We trust that this will go towards helping the pros prepare adequately and give them a better chance at winning this year’s tournament,” he said.

The deal will also see the Kenyan professionals receive specialized training ahead of the tournament, as part of their preparations.

“As part of the partnership, we will be sponsoring two professionals from South Africa, who have been engaged by the Professional Golfers of Kenya to train the local professionals ahead of this year’s Kenya Open. In addition, there will also be a trainer to help our local Pros work on the nutrition and mental part of the game,” said Mr. Kanyago.

Last year, the Kenya Open Golf Limited organized for two European teaching professionals to come to Kenya to train the local professionals in a bid to enhance their skills ahead of the 2017 tournament. The training lasted three days and covered all the professionals that had qualified for the 2017 Barclays Kenya Open Championship.

Speaking at the same event, Professional Golfers of Kenya Chairman Mr. Charan Thethy thanked KOGL for their generous donation and assistance in the preparations for the Kenya Open and assured them that the money will be put into good use.

“On behalf of the PGK, I want to thank KOGL for this generous donation towards our preparations for the 2018 Kenya Open. This gesture comes at the right time as we are in the middle of the qualifying rounds for the tournament. This money will be put to good use and ensure that our pros as adequately prepared for the Kenya Open as possible,” he said.

The 2018 Kenya Open will be held from the 22^nd to the 25^th of March 2018 at the Muthaiga Golf club; with the final list of Kenyan players scheduled to take part in the tournament being made Public in March after the conclusion of the 5-leg qualification tour that is being conducted by the Professional Golfers of Kenya.

Mr. Kanyago added that the KOGL has received a lot of interest from players across the world and expect to have a better field of players from across the globe.

“So far, we have had over 30 requests from international players who want to take part in this year’s tournament, compared to only 10 requests at a similar time last year. Over the coming weeks, we will announce details of some of the international and local players that will be taking part in this year’s tournament,” he said.

The tournament will be preceded by two Pro-Am events on the 20^th and 21^st of March at the Muthaiga Golf club, that shall be sponsored by the Kenya Open Golf Limited and the Barclays Bank of Kenya respectively.

Ticket prices for this year’s tournament will be KSh. 500 daily and KSh. 1,000 for the season ticket; they are available for purchase at www.ticketsasa.com. cheap air max mens cheap air max mens