Florentyna Parker from England will be among the European Tour professionals touring Kenya this weekend. Photo/COURTESY
NAIROBI, Kenya, Jan 28 – This Friday and Saturday will see lady professional golfers, who feature on the Ladies European Tour, play two Pro-Ams on Vipingo Ridge’s PGA Baobab Course during their inaugural visit to Kenya.
With 13 professionals now confirmed to attend the event, more than 36 Kenyan golfers are scheduled to participate alongside them.
Among these local players are 13-year-old Alyssa Jamal who earlier this month won Lady Captain’s Prize golf tournament at Nyali Golf and Country Club -an incredible fete for this young player beating participants with many more years of experience.
Jamal, who has a handicap of 8, is a promising junior athlete from Nyali Golf Club and Vipingo Ridge welcomes this younger generation to participate in such high-profile events, believing in the incredible part sport has to play in the development of Kenyan children and young adults.
Other notable local players include former Ladies National Golf Champion, Naomi Wafula. The 20-year-old, from Kitale Golf Club, has already enjoyed a sterling career despite her age, representing Kenya in golf throughout her teens. Last year, she won the Nyali Bowl at the Ladies Coast Open.
This Friday and Saturday will see lady professional golfers, who feature on the Ladies European Tour, play two Pro-Ams on Vipingo Ridge’s PGA Baobab Course during their inaugural visit to Kenya.
Mike Round Turner, General Manager at Vipingo Ridge stated “We look forward to welcoming these incredible young women and all the players involved to Vipingo Ridge later this week. It’s shaping up to be a fantastic event -one that we hope will showcase Kenya as a safe and quality destination for international sporting events.”
The Tour professional players will be on route from the Fatima Mubarak Ladies Open in Abu Dhabi to the Australian Ladies Classic Bonville and therefore will be making a stop in Kenya between tour events. The Pro-Ams, which will see amateurs pair with the LET professionals.
All 13 LET players have ranked in the top 100 in the 2018 Order of Merit, with Florentyna Parker from England being the most famous in the field after three professional wins and representing Europe in the 2017 Solheim Cup in Des Moines, USA. Parker placed 13th in the Order of Merit last year.
Other players confirmed to attend are Noemi Jimenez Martin from Spain who finished 19th and Camilla Lennarth (Sweden) who was 23rd. Vipingo Ridge, in collaboration with U.COM Event, is hosting both events and is proud to promote Kenyan golf and its unique golfing destinations to the world.
Guy Moran, Head of Property and Development at The PGA, commented: “This event promises to be a triumph helping to put Kenyan golf on the map, especially by promoting ladies golf throughout the country and further afield. The PGA fully supports such activities and congratulates Vipingo Ridge, U.COM and partners for putting together a world-class Pro-Am at relatively short notice. We look forward to seeing many more of the same.”
