Race for Magical Kenya Open slots gets underway for PGK

In the absence of a qualifier event for this year's Magical Kenya Open, Professional Golfers of Kenya (PGK) have taken matters in their hands, organised a two-legged event at Muthaiga Golf club in the chase for eight available slots. 

Part of the DP World Tour slated for Thursday 20 to Sunday 23 February, the event will be hosted at the same course. 

Safari Golf Tour has previously been used to qualify the professional golfers for the annual global competition. In 2023, the then Sports CS Ababu Namwamba had promised that the Tour would be made bigger and better but a year down the line, alledge financial constraints led to the cancellation for the 2024/25 season. 

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The golfers teed off on Monday 27 January at the par-72 Muthaiga Golf Club for the first leg of the qualifier tournament. The second and final leg is set to take place at the par-72 Sigona Golf Club on Thursday, 30 and Friday, 31 January with eight slots up for grabs. 

PGK received a Ksh240,000 sponsorship boost from Sports Agency, IMG Kenya.

PGK Chairman John Wangai expressed his gratitude for the timely support and outlined the scale and significance of the qualifiers. 

“This year, we have over 50 Kenyan pros vying for the eight slots. In the absence of any other organised qualifier, the PGK has organised a 72-hole qualifier. We are incredibly grateful to IMG Kenya for stepping in to support our Pros, as this will ensure they can focus fully on their performance without being weighed down by logistical concerns," Wangai said. 

The absence of consistent competitive events has had a negative impact on the performance of Kenyan golf professionals through the years. 

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“Since the 2024 Open, our golf professionals have not had the opportunity to play in regular Pro events at home. This denies them the opportunity to play under competitive conditions and even the opportunity to earn a living from their trade. 

Our small contribution this week marks the beginning of a commitment from IMG Kenya to work with the PGK to ensure a series of consistent events are staged to create a platform for the golf professionals, talented amateurs and our junior golfers," Charles Gacheru, IMG Kenya Limited Managing Director, said. 

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