From left-right Hellen Gatiramu (Junior Golf Foundation Trustee), Francis Okwara (KGU Chairman), Rajeev Mediratta (Lighting Solutions) and Aashit Shah (CEO Kingsway Tyres) during a cheque presentation for the Junior Matchplay Championship at KGU offices in Muthaiga today.

By FIDEL ONO
THIS year’s Kenya Junior Matchplay Championship yesterday received a major boost today when Kingway Tyres Limited presented event organisers, Junior Golf Foundation (JGF) with a cheque of Sh150, 000 for the world amateur golf ranking tournament.
The event will be held at the Sigona Golf Club between August 13 and 16.
“The youth of today need to be given the support and attention to excel in all aspects of their lives. Sporting activities like golf helps to develop the children all-round in becoming better leaders” said Aashit Shah the New CEO of Kingsway Tyres.
He added: “We aim to support JGF this year and in the next few years sponsoring Junior Golf tournaments across the country which will encourage Junior golfers from all Golf clubs to participate and compete.”
Kenya Golf Union (KGU) chairman Francis Okwara lauded the sponsors for their gestures and urged more companies to emulate the effort.
Okwara said the future of golf in the country is through Junior Golf Development and noted that an intensive program of partnership had been started aimed at taking the sport to another level.

“On behalf of the Kenya Golf Union and the Kenya Ladies Golf Union who are parent bodies of Junior Golf Foundation, I would like to thank Kingsway Tyres Ltd for partnering with the Junior Golf Foundation
through the sponsorship of Junior Matchplay Championship to be held at Sigona on 13-16 August 2013.
He added: “In order to actualize our dream, the Union has made it possible for all juniors to access golf facilities by having an annual junior membership of Sh1,000. Through this, we have seen many junior
whose parents are not golfers enrolling for the membership. The membership allows them to access all golf courses in the country by paying a nominal fee of Sh 100.”
Okwara appealed to the Clubs to have a strong junior development base and to partner with schools around their courses so as to demystify the game. maillotdefootpaschers maillotdefootpaschers

Kenya Open Golf Limited directors (from left to right) Francis Okwara (KGU Chairman), Peter Warui, Joe Wangai, Peter Kanyago (Chairman), Patrick Obath ( tournament director), Kathleen Kihanya and Samson Ndegwa during a luncheon to launch the sponsorship campaign for 2014 Kenya Open at a Nairobi hotel today.

By FIDEL ONO

The prize money for next year’s Barclays Kenya Open Golf Championship has been increased from 195, 000 Euros to 200, 000 Euros.

This was announced today by Kenya Open Golf Limited (KOGL) chairman Peter Kanyago when the event organisers Kenya Open Golf Limited hosted tournament sponsors and suppliers to a luncheon at a Nairobi Hotel.

“This year’s event was successful and it gives us a great challenge to make next year’s tournament even better. We have raised the prize money from this year’s Sh22.9million (195, 000 Euros) to Sh23.6million for next year’s event,” said Kanyago.

He added: “To raise this we need a lot of money and we have a budget of Sh50 million to host a successful tournament. The four round tournament will be held between March 6 and 9 at the Karen Golf and Country Club.”

The Kenya Open is considered as Africa’s premier event, but ironically there is no Kenyan player who has won it in history.

The closest a Kenyan came to winning the tournament was in 1998 when Golf Park’s Jacob Okello tied with Argentine Ricardo Gonzalez after four rounds and before losing in a sudden death play-off.

Spain’s Jordi Garcia Pinto claimed his maiden European Challenge Tour title at this year’s tournament after an intensely dramatic finale at the Barclays Kenya Open, finishing one shot clear of Tim Sluiter.

“Sponsors should seize the opportunity to advertise their products on the greens and tees during the event and they will certainly get value for their money. More than half of the Sh50 million budget goes to prize money and sanction fees,” said tournament director Patrick Obath.

The platinum sponsorship will cost Sh10m, while gold sponsorship will cost Sh7.5m and Silver sponsorship will cost Sh5m. Bronze sponsorship will cost Sh2.5m. huarache homme huarache homme