Singapore’s Shannon Tan poses with her trophy after winning the 2024 Magical Kenya Ladies Open at Vipingo Ridge Golf Club, Baobab Course, in Kilifi County today. February. Tristan Jones/ LET

By DANIELLA APIYO AND AMANDA DAMARIS

Nineteen-year-old Shannon Tan from Singapore carded a final round of 3 under par 70 to taker her total score for the tournament to 12 under par 280 to win the 2024 Magical Kenya Ladies Open on her debut event on the Ladies European Tour (LET). She edged out her closest challenger, Alessandra Fanali from Italy, by four shots to seal her fantastic debut win on the Tour and become Singapore’s first LET winner. Click this link https://a.meridianbet.ke/c/C7pYjz to start gaming and stand a chance of winning big with a meridianbet.

She had a hot start to her final round, holing three birdies in the first five holes before dropping a shot at the par-five sixth. She immediately recovered that shot in the par-5 seventh with a birdie, before dropping another short at the par-3 eighth to card a total of 35 on the first nine. She played bogey-free on the back nine, holing a birdie at the par-5 11^th for a total of 35.

Shannon, who came to the Magical Kenya ladies Open being the first player from Singapore to secure a full LET card, went to the Lalla Aicha Q-School in Morocco in December last year for the experience but ended up finishing in the top 20, securing her full LET card and thereafter making the decision to turn pro.

Speaking after the round, she said: “It was close until hole 16 where it was like a one-shot difference… but I stuck to my own game plan just trying to hit every fairway and every green I can. So, basically, that was my game plan throughout the whole day today. It was a tough decision to begin with, but I made the decision.”

Commenting on becoming the first winner from Singapore on the LET, she said: “I would say I am proud. Juniors back home [now] know that it is possible, and they know anything is possible and I guess it [will] kind of push them a little bit and inspire them. I will I go into every event with the same mindset and target; just trying to do my best and control what can be controlled; so, I will just try and stick to my game plan throughout the whole season.”

For her outstanding performance in Vipingo, Shannon will bank Sh 7.9 million (€45,000), earn 500 LET order of merit points, and qualify to play at next week’s prestigious Aramco Saudi Ladies International presented by PIF whose prize kitty is Sh 812 million (USD 5 million).

On her part, 24-year-old Alessandra Fanali played level par 37 on the first nine courtesy of birdies at the second and the seventh holes and bogeys at the fifth and the eighth. She made a steady start to the back nine, playing bogey-free through the first five holes before holing a birdie at the par-5 15^th. She, however, dropped consecutive shots at the 16^th and 17^th holes for a score of 1-over par 74 for the day; taking her total for the tournament to 8-under par 284.

For her runner-up finish, Alessandra will bank KES 4.7 million (€27,000) and earn 320 order of merit points and will also take part at next week’s Aramco Saudi Ladies tournament.

Speaking after the round, Alessandra – who has five previous top-ten finishes in the Tour – said:

“It has been a very good week for me. I am very proud of myself, honestly, I came into this week, as I said before, just to try and test my game and see where I was so, I am very happy about it. Today, I tried it, I gave myself a chance, but my putts didn’t really want to go in so, it’s okay. Next week is another week and we’ll see what’s going to happen in the next few weeks.

“I think just a couple of more putts would have dropped and it was going to be a lot easier for me to catch up some shots in the last holes but, it is what it is, and probably it wasn’t meant for me, but it’s fine.

“I am very proud, as I said, of my game: I am hitting shots very well, irons off the tee, my short game is very good, my putting is very good so, I am just very happy about it. A good week for the start of the season.”

There was a five-way share for third place featuring Belgium’s Manon De Roey, Spain’s Ana Pelaez Trivino, England’s Alice Hewson, Chiara Tamburlini from Switszerland and Nataliya Guseva – who all ended their challenge in Vipingo with scores of 4-under par 288 to complete the podium places.

The 2024 Magical Kenya Ladies Open teed-off for the fourth edition of the event at the PGA Baobab Course in Vipingo Ridge on Thursday this week, bringing together 108 golfers among them five Kenyan amateurs. The tournament attracted the participation of golfers from 36 nationalities and was broadcasted live globally across eleven territories.

The event was sponsored by the Government of Kenya, The County Government of Kilifi, Safaricom’s MPesa, Huawei, East African Breweries Limited, and Absa Bank Kenya.

South Africa’s Cara Gorlei follows her tee shot during her second round at the 2024 Magical Kenya Ladies Open

By DANIELLA APIYO

South Africa’s Cara Gorlei carded 1- under par 72 in the second round of action at the 2024 Magical Kenya Ladies Open, to take her total for the tournament to 5-under par, 141 and into the lead as the tournament heads into the weekend. Click this link https://a.meridianbet.ke/c/C7pYjz to start gaming and stand a chance of winning big with a meridianbet.

Cara, who started the day as part of a three-way tie at the top of the leaderboard alongside England’s Eleanor Givens and Lauren Walsh from Ireland, wasted little time in making her intent clear, with three birdies from her first three holes.

She would drop her first shot at the par-5 seventh, to see her card a score of 35 in the front nine. She started her back nine in almost similar fashion to the front nine, this time hitting three birdies through the first four holes, before double bogeying the par-4 fourteenth. That would be a turning point in her round as she struggled through the last four holes, with bogeys at the 16th and 18th to post a score of 37 on the back nine.

Speaking after the round, Cara Gorlei said: “Today was definitely tougher than yesterday but somehow, I managed to put in a good score after some good and bad runs during the eighteen holes.

“I started birdie, birdie, par, birdie got off to a hot start and then I had a nice little four-putt that set me back a little bit and then came in slow. To start the back nine, I had another three in a row, so that was great, but also still just came in slow; the putting was just very hot and cold.

“It took me a little while to get over the four putts that’s why I guess why I slowed down but once I started the back nine I was like come on let’s just get something going here so you just got to put it in play on this course and I didn’t do that as well as yesterday but I’m still happy with the under par round.”

Cara is a stroke ahead of 20-year-old Nataliya Gusevan, a debutant on the Ladies European Tour, who carded 3-under par 70 for the round, taking her total to 4-under par, 142.

Speaking after her round, Natalia said: “I am taking it hole-by-hole here because it is very windy and the conditions tough for us as it is pretty hot out there. I am just trying to stay in the moment, then get out there and have fun and enjoy myself.

“This is a very tight golf course with very unpredictable greens, and you just got to be in the moment and don’t let yourself down and just trust yourself trust your game and your instincts and get going.”

Speaking about her first impressions of Kenya, she said: “It is a unique place [and even though] it is hot out here, I am enjoying myself seeing all the different animals around – this is very exotic; and the food is amazing as well. I am just so happy to be out here and just playing every event on the Ladies European Tour.”

Italy’s Alesandra Fanali who had led the round at one point, is part of a four-way tie for third place alongside Japan’s Ayako Uehara, Chiara Tamburlini of Switzerland and Singapore’s Shannon Tan on overall scores of 3-under par, 143.

The round’s best score belonged to 23-year-old Samantha Bruce of the Philippines, who played a blemish free round, to post a 5-under par 68 score, courtesy of five birdies, and taking her total for the tournament to 2-under par 144; which leaves her in a tie for seventh place going into Moving Day.

The cut line was set at 6-over par,152, with a total of 67 players making the cut to play into the weekend for an opportunity to win part of the tournament’s 300,000 Euros (KShs 51,900,000) prize fund.

None of the five Kenyans playing at the event made the cut with Naomi Wafula finishing the day as the highest finisher of the lot with a 13-over par 159 score to end her campaign tied in 95th.

Jacquelyne Walter, who played a solid 2-over par round yesterday, shot 13-over par on Friday to take her total for the tourney to 15-over par 161 for a tie in 100th place.

Tournament debutant, Kellie Gachaga, carded 81 on both days, taking her total for the tournament to 16-over par 162, two shots better than Chanelle Wangari who ended her challenge at the event with an 18-over par 164 score. Meanwhile Mercy Nyanchama shot a round of 80 on Friday, seven better than she had on Thursday, for a total of 27-over par 173.

Dorota Zalewska and Lily May Humphreys will get the action underway on Moving Day tomorrow at 8:59 AM, with the leaders teeing off at 1:15 PM.