Mutahi Kibugu gets off a bunker at the Muthaiga Golf Club.

By DANIELLA APIYO AND AMANDA DAMARIS

Kenyan players posted mixed results on the first day of this year’s Magical Kenya Open Golf Championships that teed off at the par 71 Muthaiga Golf Club.

Home player Mutahi Kibugu was the best-placed Kenyan after the 18-holes, managing a three-under-par 68 score. Kibugu who will be hoping to emulate his younger brother Njoroge Kibugu who was the only Kenyan to make the cut last year, sunk two birdies on the par three, second hole and the long par five hole four for a first nine score of 34. In the second nine, he started brightly with a birdie on the par five ninth hole, before dropping two back-to-back shots on the par three 11^th and par four 12^th. He recovered with a birdie on the par four 14 but played another bogey on the par four 15^th before picking two back-to-back shots on the par three 16^th and par four 17^th.

After finishing his round, Kibugu was happy with his putting and drives and looked forward to a more competitive afternoon today when he tees off at 12.40 pm.

“Starting at back nine helped a lot. Unfortunately, I was a bit bruised in the second nine with back-to-back bogies in holes 11 and 12 but overall, the recovery was great given how I started,” Kibugu said.

He added: “I had some good leaps out there and my drive worked great with my fairway hitting at the tees clocking anything between 330-350 yards which was good. I liked the course and playing in it was okay because I picked a couple of birdies. Friday will be the ultimate test, but I am ready and given how I am playing, I feel confident.”

Greg Snow closed the day at level par 71 and has a chance to progress today if he manages an underscore to be sure of making the cut. He had a birdie in holes 2,9,10 and 18 but was hampered by bogeys in holes 6,11,13 and 15.

Dismas Indiza also finished on Par 71 in Day One with a staggering five bogeys not helping his cause. He hit level par in seven holes and had birdies in holes 2,11,12,17 and 18. His striking and putting were not up to scratch and at certain moments he looked frustrated on the course. The veteran player had four level par in the opening five holes before getting the calm effect for a short while.

L-R Mike Kisia, Daniel Nduva, Mutahi Kibugu, Absa’s CEO Yusuf Omari, Samuel Njoroge, Absa’s Chief Marketing Officer Carolyne Kendi, Dismas Indiza, Simon Ngige and Justus Madoya

By DANIELLA APIYO AND AMANDA DAMARIS

Nine local golfers headlining this year’s edition of the Magical Kenya Open (MKO) will benefit from a Ksh 2.7 million sponsorship package courtesy of Absa Bank Kenya aimed at motivating the best performance from Team Kenya.

The Bank has announced it will sponsor all eight Kenyan Pro golfers; Mike Kisia, Simon Ngige, Daniel Nduva, Justus Madoya, Dismas Indiza, Mutahi Kibugu, Samuel Njoroge and Greg Snow. The sponsorship is also being extended to amateur sensation, Njoroge Kibugu, who given his stellar performance last year setting the stage for a highly anticipated tournament

Speaking during the sponsorship announcement, Absa Bank Kenya Interim Managing Director Yusuf Omari said the sponsorship will go a long way in facilitating the golfers to effectively participate in the tournament and inspire a good performance by the team.

“We expect this year’s tournament to be competitive and as a brand, we are standing alongside our local Pros who have done well in the past by making it to the final entry list. We understand that these players have huge ambitions coming into the tournament, and as a bank that believes in bringing possibilities to life, our investment goes to them to ensure they have everything they need to effectively compete against world-class golfers,” said Omari.

Omari further explained the inspiration behind the sponsorship is the fact that the tournament resonates with the bank’s brand spirit of Africanacity, which is the distinct ability and determination to always find ingenious ways to get things done despite the challenges people face.

As part of the sponsorship, each of the eight Pros will receive cash support of Ksh 300,000 to assist in meeting tournament costs such as registration and caddie fees. Additionally, players who qualify for the top 20 cuts will receive KES500,000 each, while those who make it to the final top 10 will get KES1 million. In addition, Absa will supply the players with branded kits and golf balls for the entire duration of the tournament.

Speaking for the Pros, Daniel Nduva thanked Absa for the continued support over the years and urged Kenyans to rally behind them as they prepare to compete in the tournament.  “We are grateful to Absa Bank for this invaluable support and promise to make the country proud in this tournament,” he said.

With a prize purse of $2 million (an estimated Ksh254 million), the 2023 edition will bring together 156 golfers from around the world, including eight Kenyan Pros, six Kenyan amateurs, and two regional players. Among international golfers scheduled to participate in this year’s tournament include 2022 defending champion Ashun Wu, Spaniard Adrián Otaegui, Scottish Richie Ramsay and 2021 winner South Africa’s Justin Harding.

Two weeks ago, Absa Bank Kenya announced an overall investment of Ksh70 million as the Official Presenting Partner for the 2023 MKO in line with the Bank’s long-term commitment to sports such as golf and athletics.