A cardie gives a thumbs up during today’s round of Savannah Classic Golf at Karen Club.

By DANIELLA APIYO AND AMANDA DAMARIS

With the inaugural Kenya Savannah Classic golf championships set to go to the wire on Friday, golf enthusiasts have a chance to enjoy the blow by blow final day action thanks to DSTV Kenya who will bring all the action live from Karen Country Club on their channel 233.

Despite the fact that spectators have been barred from the venue because of the COVID-19 pandemic, lovers will miss nothing in the action packed final day.

South Africa’s Justin Harding is on the brink of securing back-to-back titles after being crowned Kenya Open champion last week as he carried a three shot lead into the final day, but a host of opponents are breathing on his neck and it would be interesting to see if he will be able to resist the challenge.

DStv, which has the exclusive pay television rights, is giving Kenyan golf followers access to watch the inaugural Kenya Savannah Classic event at the comfort of their homes, at their favourite popular joints, or stream live on the DStv App.

While announcing the channel number and bouquet, MultiChoice Kenya Managing Director, Nancy Matimu said: “We are proud that Kenya is hosting this edition of the European Tour for which DStv has the exclusive pay television rights. Our mission is to deliver value to our customers by making great entertainment more accessible. We find and develop the right mix of content and deliver it to Kenyans anytime, anywhere. You can either catch the action from the comfort of your house or anywhere else via the DStv Now app.’’

Since international golfing activities were allowed in mid-2020, all events have been played under strict adherence of the COVID-19 restrictions. Such events are played as closed events with very limited number of players and their caddies allowed.

This is the case with Kenya Savannah Classic. Only the players and their caddies and a limited number of officials all of whom must be in the bubble will be allowed at Karen, hence most of the Kenyan golf following can only rely on the live screening of the matches. “We want to assure Kenyan golf followers that they do not have to worry about not being at Karen as we will transmit to them wherever they will be’’ added Nancy.

David Wakhu crosses a bridge with his cardie at Karen Club today.

By DANIELLA APIYO AND AMANDA DAMARIS

Fresh from winning the Kenya Open Golf Championship last week, South African Justin Harding seem to be headed for a double after he returned a third round score of five under par 66 for a combined round score of 17 under par 196 to go three shots clear of the crowded second place ahead of the final round of the inaugural Savannah Classic at Karen Club.

Starting the day on tied second at 12 under par, having shared the first round lead, Harding picked four birdies and dropped two shots in the front nine for 33 out and dropped one more shot in the back nine with four birdies for another 33 in an a combined score of 66 for the lead.

Harding had played an impressive 21 under par 263 last week to win the Magical Kenya Open for his second European Tour titles and needs just a round better in the final round today to clinch back-to-back titles of the European Tour at Karen.

Six golfers have shared second place at 14 under par 199 led by round two leader, South African Daniel Van Tonder, Scotland’s David Drysdale, five-time European Tour winner Darren Fichardt, England’s Marcus Armitage, 23-year old Kristoffer Reitan and Thailand’s Jazz Janewattanond. 

The only Kenyan golfer who made cut at the Savannah Classic, David Wakhu had a less impressive day on the course as he picked three bogeys and a double-bogey in the back nine to card three over par 74 and a combined round score of five under par having began the day at eight under par.

This leaves him needing a miracle to win the tournament.

Justin Harding is congratulated by his cardie today.

Meanwhile, Sports Cabinet Secretary, Amina Mohammed, said Kenya should continue hosting back-to-back European Tour golf events, spread across more venues across the country to give visiting players, and the world, a feel of the country’s diverse golf offering.

“What our request has been to the European Tour is not to make this a one-off: that we should continue having these back-to-back tournaments and hopefully we can even have three events and have them across the country so that we are not having all these tournaments here at Karen.  We have beautiful golf courses across the country and I think that it would be wonderful for people to experience them,” she said.

She added: “It’s the first time that you have two championships back-to-back. We feel extremely privileged, and I think it gives us that badge of honor], but it also allows Kenya to be seen as a sporting destination. As you know, we have hosted very many sporting events and so having this additional tournament being held here just confirms that we are actually a sporting giant on the continent.”

She said this on the sidelines of the third round of the inaugural Kenya Savannah Classic which is ongoing at the Karen Country Club. The event follows last week’s Magical Kenya Open that concluded on Sunday.