South Korean pro golfer and internet sensation, Ho-Sung Choi during a game drive at the Nairobi National Park at the weekend courtesy of the Kenya Tourism Board.

By DANIELLA APIYO AND AMANDA DAMARIS

South Korean internet sensation, Ho-Sung Choi, who landed in the country on Thursday this week is already getting a feel of Kenya and acclimatizing himself to the surroundings ahead of the 2019 Magical Kenya Open Golf Championship which tees-off on Thursday next week.

Having played a nine-hole practice round on Friday at the Karen Country Club, Choi was yesterday treated to a game drive at the Nairobi National Park courtesy of the Kenya Tourism Board. Together with his visiting entourage, Choi was treated to a spectacle of a host of wild animals at the park; a marvel which he remarked was unique to Nairobi based on his travel around the world.

Choi, who is famously known for his unorthodox swing, said, after his practice round on Friday, that he felt slightly nervous coming into the tournament; not knowing what to expect as this was his first time in the country. His first impression of the Karen Country Club course was that it has tricky fairways, though he said that he felt comfortable with their lengths.

Meanwhile, preparations for the 2019 Magical Kenya Open Golf Championship are in top gear with final touches being put into place ahead of the tournament which tees-off on Thursday at the Karen Country Club.

Working teams were today putting up critical infrastructure, which includes, among others, seating bleachers, hospitality tents, tv towers and tv compound infrastructure. Teams are working round the clock to ensure all is in place ahead of the tournament this coming Thursday where expectations are high from all quarters.

This year’s tournament is set to attract a record number of spectators following the elevation of the tournament to the European Tour and is set to feature new additions to its offering such as music concerts on Friday and Saturday.

Thomas Bjorn of Denmark.

By DANIELLA APIYO AND AMANDA DAMARIS

15-time European Tour Champion, and immediate former Ryder Cup Captain, Thomas Bjorn; 2016 winner of the Kenya Open Golf Championship, Sebastian Soderberg; and 2015 winner of the Kenya Open Golf Championship, Haydn Porteous, have expressed excitement to be returning to Kenya to play at the 2019 Magical Kenya Golf Championship.

Speaking on the sidelines of the ongoing Qatar Masters, Bjorn, who will be making his return to Kenya 24 years after he first played at the tournament, said he looks forward to reliving the memories of Kenya and lauded the efforts which have been put in place to elevate the tournament to the European Tour.

“I haven’t been there since 1995 and I enjoyed it back then, so it is going to be great to come back to see what it is like now. They have put a lot of time and effort into getting this tournament into being a regular Tour event so, I believe It’s going to be fun and interesting. I am excited to going to the Magical Kenya Open Golf Championship,” he said.

Bjorn finished tied in second at the 1995 Kenya Open Golf Championship, missing the top spot by five strokes to Englishman James Lee, but went ahead to win four other events on the Challenge Tour calendar that year to emerge The Challenge Tour Rankings Champion.

Remarking on his memories of Kenya, Bjorn said that he appreciates the role the Kenya Open Golf Championship played in shaping his budding career.

“I went down there as a young professional in 1995 playing on the Challenge Tour and, having done some good work over the winter, I was really looking forward to the season and that got me off to a really good start. Obviously, I came up short, but it set me up for the rest of the season to win the Challenge Tour. It’s a place I have always wanted to go back to and now we are going back.”

Commenting on his return to the Kenya Open, Swede Sebastian Soderberg said: “The Kenya Open means a lot to me as it was my first Challenge Tour victory, so I am looking forward to come back and I think it’s going to be a lot of fun. I haven’t been at the Karen Country Club in a while so I am looking forward to it. For some reason, I have always played well in Kenya so I am looking to a great tournament.”

Soderberg has played at the Kenya Open Golf Championship for four consecutive years since 2015; winning it in 2016 and finishing in sixth last year.

Remarking on his return to Kenya for the Magical Kenya Open Golf Championship, South African pro golfer, Haydn Porteous, said: “It’s been a while since I have played in my backyard and I have some fun memories since I recorded my first win as a pro in Kenya. To go back there would just be magical and I hope I can do something like I did last time.”

He added: “The first time I went to Kenya, I was pleasantly surprised at the number of people who turned up to watch golf, and now that the tournament is part of the European, I expect even more people to turn up for the tournament”

Haydn has taken part in the Kenya Open Golf Championship in two occasions; 2014 and 2015. He finished a decent 48^th in 2014 before winning the championship the following year.

The 2019 Magical Kenya Open Golf Championship tees off at the Karen Country Club on Thursday the 14^th of March and will be preceded by PRO-AM tournament on Wednesday the 13^th. Tickets for the tournament can be purchased via the website www.kenyaopen.golf.