Naomi Wafula in action at the Baobab Course at the Vipingo Ridge in Kilifi.

By DANIELLA APIYO AND AMANDA DAMARIS

The 2022 Magical Kenya Ladies Open tees-off tomorrow, Thursday, February 10th, at the Par-72 PGA-accredited Baobab Course at the Vipingo Ridge in Kilifi County. Kenya’s Naomi Wafula, who makes her sophomore appearance at the event, has been honing her skills at the PGA academy at the Vipingo Ridge and relishing the challenge ahead.

Speaking after her practice round on Wednesday, Naomi, who is one of only four Kenyan golfers taking at the event, said she was excited at the prospect of going up against top international lady golfers, saying she hopes to pick up key learnings.

“I am delighted to be going up against top lady golfers, including Esther Henseleit, who won in 2019. There is a bit of pressure to play against these top golfers, but we are more prepared compared to 2019. For us, it is also a learning opportunity as we also golfers become professional golfers in the future.”

Naomi, a former Kenya National Ladies Golf champion, was also full of praise to the event organizers and sponsors for the work towards the tournament, noting it will motivate more women to participate in the sport.

“We have received a lot of support from KLGU, event organizers, and sponsors, and we are delighted with the efforts that have been put in place to make the tournament a success. This will no doubt encourage more participation of ladies in the sport. It is up to us now to put in the hard work as we represent the country in the competition.”

For her opening round of the campaign, Naomi will have an afternoon tee-off at 1:03 pm in the company of Germany’s Olivia Cowan from Germany and Nuria Iturrioz from Spain. In the 2021 LET season, Olivia finished fifth and ended the year on a high securing status on the LPGA Tour.

She was close to victory individually last year and recorded eight top-10 finishes but did get into the winner’s circle as a captain to Team Cowan at the Aramco Team Series – London. In 2019, she finished tied in 9th at the inaugural Magical Kenya Ladies Open.

Meanwhile, Kenya’s Bhavi Shah and Faith Chemutai will get the 2022 Magical Kenya Ladies Open underway tomorrow when the tournament tees off at 7:45 am at the Par-72, PGA-accredited Baobab Course at the Vipingo Ridge in Kilifi. A field of 94 players will take to the course for the opening round in the quest for top honours at the tournament.

Mercy Nyanchama, who also played at the inaugural event in Vipingo two years ago, gets her campaign going at 11:57 am in the company of Heather Macrae from Scotland and Patricia Barrio from Spain.

The Magical Kenya Ladies Open defending Champion, Esther Henseleit from Germany, will start her title defence when she tees-off at 12:52 pm.

Robson Chinhoi celebrates after sinking his putter to beat Dismas Indiza in a play-off.

By DANIELLA APIYO AND AMANDA DAMARIS

Zimbabwe’s leading professional Robson Chinhoi beat Kenya’s most known professional Dismas Indiza in a three hole play- off, to claim the seventh leg of the 2021/2022 Safari Tour series at the par 72 Karen Country Club course today.

At the end of regulation play, the two leading pros had tied on a total of 12 under par 276. Indiza, the only player in the tournament to play under par in all the four rounds, missed birdie chances in the first two holes of the play off (10^th, 11^th, then at the 12^th, he had a chance to level with the Zimbabwean, but missed the putt for a par, to lose to Chinhoi with a par.

“I am very happy to have made it to the top. I didn’t think I would manage to go beyond fourth place’’ said Indiza who shot two under par 70 in the final round, to catch up with Chinhoi on 12 under par.

Robinson Chinhoi kisses the winner’s prize at Karen today.

The Zimbabwean had dropped a couple of shots in the final round, to finish on one over par 76. He won Sh274,211 while Indza because of his under par scores, took home a total of Sh191,579.

Indiza also leads in the “Road to Magical Kenya Open’’ now with a total of 324 points while Chinhoi leads the regional players with 311, with Visitor Mapwanya and Uganda’s Deo Akope a neck and neck for the second slot having scored 118 and 116 points.

Meanwhile Thika Sports Club’s Simon Ngige who had led in the first round, dropped to third place on 277 after a level par 72 in the closing round where he was a shot better than Mapwanya who carded four over par 76 to wind up in fourth place on 278.

Action now switches to the home of golf Muthaiga Golf Club this coming Sunday where the par 71 course which is also hosting the Magical Kenya Open, will stage the eighth leg in the series.

The final leader board:

Robson Chinhoi (Zim) 69, 67, 67, 73= 276*

Dismas Indiza 70, 68, 68, 70= 276

Simon Ngige 66, 66, 73, 72= 277

Visitor Mapwanya(Zim) 68, 64, 70, 76= 278

Greg Snow 74, 69, 70, 70= 283

Nyasha Muyambo (Zim) 72, 69, 69, 73= 283

Sunday Olapade(Nig) 71, 67, 73, 74- 285

Sydney Wemba(Zam) 68, 70, 70, 77=285