MKO: Can Mutahi Kibugu break the Open jinx, 54 years on?

Kenyan golfers have continued to struggle to impress at home during the Magical Kenya Open (MKO). 

As the 54th edition of the European Tour event enters the weekend, the country finds itself pegging hopes on a sole golfer, 22-year-old Mutahi Kibugu who has had two amazing rounds of golf to be the only Kenyan making cut in this year's edition. 

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Mutahi carries not only the weight of expectations for himself on his shoulders but also that of a country still waiting for a local to lift the title, 54 years later. 

Veteran golfer, Jacob Okello's 1998 second-place finish at Muthaiga remains the best a Kenyan has reached in the Kenya Open and also the closest a local has come to winning the coveted title. 

Okello lost in a sudden-death playoff at the old hole 13th to Argentina’s Ricaldo Gonzalez. Since then, there has been few top ten finishes for Kenyans, one coming in 2010 when Okello placed fifth. 

As Mutahi heads to the weekend on a three under par score, alot is at stake. However, he says the plan is to 'keep doing his thing and see how the weekend goes.'

"It feels amazing. Especially to hole that putt on the last, in front of my family, friends, everyone. I’m still excited.

I had a bit of pressure on the last two holes, but I knew if I kept in my game I could probably get one birdie and I would be alright. I saw the cut was projected minus one, so I knew I was fine. I wasn’t going to make a bogey on the last there.

The birdie on 18 was amazing. I’ll be watching that for 50 years. That’s what dreams are made of," an excited Mutahi said after his second round. 

An elder brother to Njoroge Kibugu, the only Kenyan who made cut in last year's edition of the MKO, Mutahi says this is an amazing accomplishment for his family. 

"That last putt, I remembered my small brother and I was sure he wanted me to drain it for the crowd. It’s an amazing accomplishment, a year on and another Kibugu is in the weekend at the Kenya Open. I feel good. I’m just going to continue having fun, enjoy the weekend and keep dreaming.

There are hundreds of people I want to thank. Some of my coaches since I was younger were all here just watching, shouting my first name, which is Wilburn. It was amazing to do that in front of all of them and I’m happy to make them proud," he added. 

Mutahi tees off at 9.26 am alongside Connor Syme and Oliver Bekker.