NAIROBI, Kenya, Feb 17 – The countdown to the 2026 Magical Kenya Open, presented by Absa, has begun, with preparations for the prestigious DP World Tour event reaching an advanced stage.
The Safaricom-sponsored media centre is up and running, providing local and international journalists with a state-of-the-art facility to cover the tournament.
The media centre is equipped with high-speed internet, ensuring seamless coverage of the event from Thursday through to Sunday.
The tournament village, located near the clubhouse, is taking shape, with final touches being applied to the hospitality areas, food and beverage outlets, and merchandise stalls.
The village is expected to be a hive of activity going into the weekend, with spectators eager to watch the world’s top golfers in action.
The DP World Tour tournament office is also operational, with officials working tirelessly behind the first tee (Hole 1) to ensure a smooth-running event.
Accreditation for officials, players, Club Staff, media, and the rest is being done at the reception of the clubhouse, a process that began on Sunday.
Several foreign pros, including past winners and seasoned campaigners, have already arrived in Nairobi and taken the opportunity to familiarize themselves with the course.
Many have played Karen before, and spent much of Monday getting a feel for the greens and fairways at Karen Country Club.
This year’s Kenya Open has attracted several past winners, including Sebastian Soderberg, a regular at the Kenya Open since winning the event a decade ago.
Soderberg has yet to reclaim the coveted title since the event’s elevation from European Challenge Tour to the DP World Tour in 2019.
Other previous champions include Jacques Kruyswijk (South Africa, 2025), Darius van Driel (Netherlands, 2024), Jorge Campillo (Spain, 2023), Ashun Wu (China, 2022), Justin Harding (South Africa, 2021), and Italian Guido Migliozzi (2019).
