Mumias based golfer Dismas Indiza follows his tee at the 2016 Barclays Kenya Open at the par -72 Karen Country Club.PHOTO/Raymond Makhaya
NAIROBI, Kenya, Feb 2 – Four Kenyan professional golfers have earned automatic slots to participate in the inaugural Karen Masters Golf tournament slated for March 17-19 at the par 71 Karen Country Club in Nairobi.
The South Africa based Stefan Andersen was considered owing to his current form and making the cut during the recent Johannesburg open.
Mumias based Dismas Indiza, Thika Sports Club’s Simon Ngige and Vetlab’s Brian Njoroge were selected by virtue of having made the cut during the Barclays Kenya Open last year held on March 17th-20th, 2016.
The quartet will be among the 22 Kenyan and 40 European Challenge Tour professional golfers who have been invited to take part in the tournament to mark the Karen Country Club 80th anniversary celebrations.
The Professional Golfers of Kenya (PGK) chairman Jacob Okello said the other 18 golfers will be selected from qualifying tournaments.
He said all the 22 Kenya golfers in participation will be the local professional golfers that will have qualified for the 49th edition of the Barclays Kenya Open slated for March 23rd to 26th at Muthaiga Golf Club.
The 40 European Challenge Tour pros will be paired with local amateurs for a two day Pro-Am running between Friday (March 17) and Saturday (March 18) before facing off the local professionals for the blue jacket and the total prize money of US$15,000,
The tournament director Andy Watt said most of the golfers in the European Challenge Tour have been invited in order to use the Karen Masters to acclimatise ahead of their participation in the Barclays Kenya Open.
The tournament which will be adopt the stroke play format has been sponsored by Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB) to a tune of Sh12 million in a three year contract.
Watt said the money will be spent on the prize fund, golfers accommodation, food, participation and caddies fees and paying technical officials.
He said the entry fee tickets will cost Sh500 which will cover the entire three day tournament and urged fans to turn up in large numbers and enjoy the high octane event.
