Every year, at about this time, I write an article that probably starts like this – by the time you read this, 156 golfers participating at the Kenya Open Golf Championship will be facing the dreaded second round of the tournament.
Dreaded you might ask? For those not familiar with the harsh realities of Professional golf, today that field of 156 golfers will be reduced to 60 players.
Technically speaking, the field will be reduced to 60 players plus ties. Understood? Let me explain; if the 60th player is at 2-under par, that becomes the cut line and anyone who ties that score also makes the cut. So, at least 60 players will make it into the weekend and play for a share of the 500,000 euros (Sh63.5 million).
This prize kitty makes the Kenya Open the most lucrative tournament on the European Challenge Tour.
The winner of the 2018 Barclays Kenya Open will take home 80,000 euros (approximately Sh10 million), a great payday for any golfer on the European Challenge Tour.
This prize represents a 127 per cent increase from last year’s top prize of euros 35,200. The runner-up will pocket 55,000 euros (approximately Sh6.9 million) and the second runner-up will earn 35,000 euros (approximately Sh4.3 million).
Additionally, the Kenya Open Golf Ltd has announced an incentive of Sh100,000 to every Kenyan Professional golfer who makes the cut today and a further Sh500,000 to any Kenyan Pro who finishes in the top 10.
Announcing the incentive, Kenya Open Golf chairman Peter Kanyago said that it would be a great win to see many Kenyans compete for a share of the enhanced prize money.
“Winning for the KOGL would be to see as many Kenyans as possible finish in the Top 10 and keep as much of the Sh63.5m prize money here in Kenya,” he said. “I trust that this small incentive will give our Pros that little extra push to make the cut and to go on and finish high on the leaderboard.”
During the 2017 event, Simon Ngige finished T34, Dismas Indiza was T54 and Riz Charania was T60, with the incentive in place, they would each have earned another Sh100,000 from KOGL.
“Greg Snow finished T10 in 2014 and in that same year Indiza was T13, so we know our people have the potential to finish at the top and even win this event,” Mr Kanyago added. “Indiza was T10 in 2008 and Jacob Okello was T4 in 2007 and T5 in 2006 at Karen. And we all remember Okello’s runner up finish in 1998 – so we know its possible for our guys to play well.”
In 2002, Anil Shah finished T9 and Okello and Indiza were T13 that year and if you want to dig through the records, the late Peter Njru finished 7th in 1992!
The message is simple, our Kenyan Pros have performed at the top level at the Kenya Open, so it is possible to see most of the 22 Kenyan Pros playing today make into the weekend and truly compete for a big share of Sh63.5m.
“We want to see a Kenyan win the Kenya Open, that is our dream,” Mr Kanyago added. “But perhaps more importantly, we want to see many of the Kenyans make the cut on Friday and play for a share of the prize kitty. We know it is possible and our Pros must believe it is possible and play their hearts out!”
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Note: The results are not exact but very close to the actual.
