The DP World Tour returns to action this week with the Magical Kenya Open at Muthaiga Golf Club. Now in its third year as a DP Word Tour event after a long history on the Challenge Tour, here is your factsheet ahead of tee off in Kenya’s national open.
Magical Muthaiga
The DP World Tour will welcome a new venue to its roster when the first ball is struck on Thursday morning at Muthaiga Golf Club. The club, located on the outskirts of the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, hosted the tournament on 16 occasions when it was part of the European Challenge Tour schedule, but the 7,184-yard course will make its debut on the DP World Tour this week.
It's a fitting time for the DP World Tour to make its first stop at Muthaiga, as the golf club celebrates it's centenary this year, having been founded in 1922 according to club records.
Justin hard to look past
Defending champion Justin Harding returns to the Magical Kenya Open after clinching his second DP World Tour title 12 months ago. The South African recorded four sub-70 rounds – 66-67-64-and a bogey free final round 66 – to finish two shots clear of American Kurt Kitayama at Karen Country Club.
Harding’s impressive record in the event goes further than his victory last year, having finished joint second and a shot behind winner Guido Migliozzi of Italy when the event was first included on the DP World Tour schedule in 2019, following 26 editions as a Challenge Tour event between 1991 and 2018
Harding’s career record includes seven Sunshine Tour wins on the continent of Africa, and with top ten results in his last two DP World Tour outings - including a tied fourth place at the Slync.io Dubai Desert Classic, the second Rolex Series event of the season - the 36 year old will be one to watch this week.
Historic champions
First played in 1967 as part of the Safari Tour, the Magical Kenya Open boasts a list of world-renowned winners, including three Major Champions. A year before sealing his maiden Open Championship, the legendary Seve Ballesteros won the 1978 title ahead of future Ryder Cup team mate and fellow European Captain Bernard Gallacher. Just eight years later another Major Champion to-be, Ian Woosnam, won the event at Muthaiga, beating Bill Longmuir in a play-off.
Trevor Immelman’s first professional victory came at the 2000 Kenya Open in his first Challenge Tour start. Eight years later he went on to become the third player, after Ballesteros and Woosnam, to have won both the Kenya Open and the Masters Tournament.
Donning the jacket
It is not just the success of Ballesteros, Immelman and Woosnam that links Augusta National and the Kenya Open. Like the Green Jacket worn by the Masters champion, the winner of the Kenya Open slips on a red jacket, which was introduced in 2018, marking the event’s 50th anniversary.
In honour of his victory that year, Lorenzo Gagli was awarded a locally designed jacket that has bespoke features on the back and arms.
Waving the flag
16 players will be flying the flag for Kenya this week, including Samuel Chege, who made his first start as a professional on the DP World Tour at last year’s event.
Chege has a unique swing after teaching himself when he started as a nine-year-old, and it stood him in good stead as he recorded two eagles in his opening round 12 months ago before going on to make the cut.
Compatriot Simon Ngige Mburu will once again be in action after recording the best finish by a home player when he finished tied 25th in 2019.
