Kenya Open

Last updated

Magical Kenya Open
Kenya Open logo.jpg
Tournament information
Location Nairobi, Kenya
Established1967
Course(s)Muthaiga Golf Club
Par71
Length7,228 yards (6,609 m)
Tour(s) European Tour
Challenge Tour
Safari Circuit
Format Stroke play
Prize fund US$2,500,000
Month playedFebruary
Tournament record score
Aggregate263 Justin Harding (2021)
To par−21 as above
Current champion
Flag of the Netherlands.svg Darius van Driel
Location map
Kenya relief location map.jpg
Icona golf.svg
Muthaiga GC
Location in Kenya

The Kenya Open, currently titled as the Magical Kenya Open for sponsorship reasons, is a professional golf tournament in Kenya founded in 1967. [1]

Contents

History

The Kenya Open was an associate event on the Far East Circuit in 1967 and 1968, [2] [3] after which it became a cornerstone of the emerging Safari Circuit – a collection of tournaments initially in Kenya and Zambia, and then later in Nigeria, Ivory Coast and Zimbabwe. [4] The European Tour, who had taken over running of the Safari Tour in the late 1970s, began to expand globally through the 1980s and those events formally became part of the second tier Challenge Tour in 1991. With the exception of the 1994 event, the Kenya Open remained on the Challenge Tour schedule until 2019 when it was elevated to the elite European Tour schedule.

In 2019, the tournament became a European Tour event and was played in mid-March during the same week as The Players Championship on the PGA Tour. [5]

The tournament has always been held near Nairobi, either at Muthaiga Golf Club (1967, 1969–2002, 2009–2012, 2017–2018, 2022–2023) or at Karen Country Club (1968, 2004–2008, 2013–2016, 2019, 2021).

The title has been won by some of Europe's Ryder Cup golfers, including Seve Ballesteros, Ian Woosnam, Ken Brown, Edoardo Molinari and Christy O'Connor Jnr, as well as future Masters champion Trevor Immelman. The most successful player is Maurice Bembridge, who recorded three victories between 1968 and 1979.

Winners

YearTour [lower-alpha 1] WinnerScoreTo parMargin of
victory
Runner(s)-upVenueRef.
Magical Kenya Open
2024 EUR Flag of the Netherlands.svg Darius van Driel 270−142 strokes Flag of England.svg Joe Dean
Flag of Spain.svg Nacho Elvira
Muthaiga [6]
2023 EUR Flag of Spain.svg Jorge Campillo 266−182 strokes Flag of Japan.svg Masahiro Kawamura Muthaiga [7]
2022 EUR Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg Wu Ashun 268−164 strokes Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Aaron Cockerill
Flag of South Africa.svg Thriston Lawrence
Flag of Germany.svg Hurly Long
Muthaiga [8]
2021 EUR Flag of South Africa.svg Justin Harding 263−212 strokes Flag of the United States.svg Kurt Kitayama Karen [9]
2020 EUR Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic [10]
2019 EUR Flag of Italy.svg Guido Migliozzi 268−161 stroke Flag of Spain.svg Adri Arnaus
Flag of South Africa.svg Louis de Jager
Flag of South Africa.svg Justin Harding
Karen [11]
Barclays Kenya Open
2018 CHA Flag of Italy.svg Lorenzo Gagli 273−11Playoff Flag of Sweden.svg Jens Fahrbring Muthaiga [12]
2017 CHA Flag of England.svg Aaron Rai 267−173 strokes Flag of France.svg Adrien Saddier Muthaiga [13]
2016 CHA Flag of Sweden.svg Sebastian Söderberg 270−183 strokes Flag of France.svg Romain Langasque Karen [14]
2015 CHA Flag of South Africa.svg Haydn Porteous 271−17Playoff Flag of South Africa.svg Brandon Stone Karen [15]
2014 CHA Flag of South Africa.svg Jake Roos 278−101 stroke Flag of France.svg Adrien Bernadet
Flag of Denmark.svg Lasse Jensen
Flag of Spain.svg Pedro Oriol
Karen [16]
2013 CHA Flag of Spain.svg Jordi García Pinto 272−121 stroke Flag of the Netherlands.svg Tim Sluiter Karen [17]
2012 CHA Flag of England.svg Seve Benson 274−10Playoff Flag of Denmark.svg Lasse Jensen Muthaiga [18]
2011 CHA Flag of South Africa.svg Michiel Bothma 270−142 strokes Flag of South Africa.svg Tyrone Ferreira Muthaiga [19]
Kenya Open
2010 CHA Flag of England.svg Robert Dinwiddie 272−123 strokes Flag of Argentina.svg Julio Zapata Muthaiga [20]
Tusker Kenya Open
2009 CHA Flag of England.svg Gary Boyd 271−134 strokes Flag of England.svg Andrew Butterfield
Flag of England.svg Philip Golding
Muthaiga [21]
2008 CHA Flag of England.svg Iain Pyman 272−123 strokes Flag of Austria.svg Thomas Feyrsinger Karen [22]
2007 CHA Flag of Italy.svg Edoardo Molinari 274−61 stroke Flag of South Africa.svg James Kamte Karen [23]
2006 CHA Flag of Sweden.svg Johan Axgren 270−104 strokes Flag of England.svg James Hepworth
Flag of England.svg Gary Lockerbie
Karen [24]
2005 CHA Flag of Argentina.svg Daniel Vancsik 272−83 strokes Flag of South Africa.svg Michael Kirk Karen [25]
Kenya Open
2004 CHA Flag of Zimbabwe.svg Marc Cayeux 270−10Playoff Flag of Sweden.svg Leif Westerberg Karen [26]
2003: No tournament
Sameer Kenya Open
2002 CHA Flag of England.svg Lee S. James 265−193 strokes Flag of South Africa.svg Titch Moore Muthaiga [27]
Tusker Kenya Open
2001 CHA Flag of South Africa.svg Ashley Roestoff 271−13Playoff Flag of England.svg Andrew Sherborne Muthaiga [28]
2000 CHA Flag of South Africa.svg Trevor Immelman 270−144 strokes Flag of Sweden.svg Henrik Stenson Muthaiga [29]
1999 CHA Flag of the Netherlands.svg Maarten Lafeber 265−193 strokes Flag of Sweden.svg Erik Andersson Muthaiga [30]
1998 CHA Flag of Argentina.svg Ricardo González 272−12Playoff Flag of Kenya.svg Jacob Okello Muthaiga
Lonrho Kenya Open
1997 CHA Flag of Argentina.svg Jorge Berendt 268−164 strokes Flag of South Africa.svg Sammy Daniels Muthaiga
Kenya Open
1996 CHA Flag of Scotland.svg Mike Miller 272−12Playoff Flag of England.svg Phil Harrison
Flag of England.svg Robert Lee
Muthaiga
1995 CHA Flag of Wales (1959-present).svg James Lee 265−195 strokes Flag of Denmark.svg Thomas Bjørn
Flag of South Africa.svg Chris Williams
Muthaiga
1994 Flag of England.svg Paul Carman 276−8Playoff Flag of England.svg Glenn Ralph Muthaiga
1993 CHA Flag of Scotland.svg Craig Maltman 276−8Playoff Flag of England.svg Peter Harrison
Flag of Sweden.svg Daniel Westermark
Muthaiga [31]
Standard Chartered Kenya Open
1992 CHA Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg André Bossert 272−121 stroke Flag of Scotland.svg Craig Maltman Muthaiga [32]
1991 CHA Flag of England.svg Jeremy Robinson 269−155 strokes Flag of Wales (1959-present).svg Paul Affleck
Flag of England.svg Philip Golding
Flag of Scotland.svg Sandy Stephen
Muthaiga
555 Kenya Open
1990SAF Flag of Ireland.svg Christy O'Connor Jnr 271−132 strokes Flag of England.svg Chris Platts Muthaiga [33]
1989SAF Ulster Banner.svg David Jones 271−133 strokes Flag of Wales (1959-present).svg Mark Mouland Muthaiga [34]
1988SAF Flag of England.svg Chris Platts 271−131 stroke Flag of Wales (1959-present).svg Mark Mouland Muthaiga [35]
1987SAF Flag of England.svg Carl Mason 275−9Playoff Flag of England.svg Gordon J. Brand
Flag of England.svg Roger Chapman
Flag of England.svg Martin Poxon
Muthaiga [36]
1986SAF Flag of Wales (1959-present).svg Ian Woosnam 273−11Playoff Flag of Scotland.svg Bill Longmuir Muthaiga [37]
1985SAF Flag of Scotland.svg Garry Harvey 278−61 stroke Flag of England.svg Brian Waites Muthaiga [38]
1984SAF Flag of Spain.svg José María Cañizares 277−7Playoff Flag of England.svg David J. Russell Muthaiga [39]
Benson & Hedges Kenya Open
1983SAF Flag of Scotland.svg Ken Brown 274−101 stroke Flag of England.svg Jeff Hall Muthaiga [40]
1982SAF Flag of Ireland.svg Eamonn Darcy 274−101 stroke Flag of England.svg David Jagger Muthaiga [41]
1981SAF Flag of Scotland.svg Brian Barnes 274−101 stroke Flag of Scotland.svg Bernard Gallacher
Flag of Scotland.svg Sandy Lyle
Muthaiga [42]
1980SAF Flag of England.svg Brian Waites 271−131 stroke Flag of Scotland.svg Bill Longmuir Muthaiga [43] [44]
1979SAF Flag of England.svg Maurice Bembridge (3)271−13Playoff Flag of Scotland.svg Bernard Gallacher Muthaiga [45]
Kenya Open
1978SAF Flag of Spain.svg Seve Ballesteros 274−101 stroke Flag of Scotland.svg Bernard Gallacher Muthaiga [46]
1977SAF Flag of Ireland.svg Liam Higgins 283−11 stroke Flag of England.svg Gary Smith
Flag of England.svg Bob Wynn
Muthaiga [47]
1976: No tournament due to economic problems [1]
1975 Flag of England.svg Gary Smith 276−12Playoff Flag of Australia (converted).svg Jack Newton Muthaiga [48]
1974 Flag of England.svg David Jagger 274−141 stroke Flag of England.svg Malcolm Gregson Muthaiga [49]
1973 Flag of the Netherlands.svg Jan Dorrestein (2)276−121 stroke Flag of England.svg David Jagger Muthaiga [50]
1972 Flag of Wales (1959-present).svg David Llewellyn 279−92 strokes Flag of England.svg Peter Tupling Muthaiga [51]
1971 Flag of Ireland.svg Ernie Jones 283−5Playoff Flag of England.svg Russell Meek Muthaiga [52]
1970 Flag of the Netherlands.svg Jan Dorrestein 273−1514 strokes Flag of England.svg Malcolm Gregson
Flag of Scotland.svg Ronnie Shade
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Bob Tuohy
Muthaiga [53]
1969 Flag of England.svg Maurice Bembridge (2)279−95 strokes Flag of Scotland.svg Bernard Gallacher
Flag of Zambia (1964-1996).svg Simon Hobday (a)
Muthaiga [54]
1968 AGC [lower-alpha 2] Flag of England.svg Maurice Bembridge 289+12 strokes Flag of South Africa (1928-1982).svg Terry Westbrook Karen [55]
1967 FEC [lower-alpha 2] Flag of England.svg Guy Wolstenholme 279−94 strokes Flag of Australia (converted).svg Peter Thomson Muthaiga [56] [57]

See also

Notes

  1. AGC/FEC − Asia Golf Circuit/Far East Circuit. CHA − Challenge Tour; EUR − European Tour; SAF − Safari Circuit.
  2. 1 2 In 1967 and 1968 the event was sanctioned by the Asia Golf Circuit, however it was an unofficial money event; therefore the win is considered unofficial on that tour.

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References

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1°20′28″S36°42′55″E / 1.3412°S 36.7152°E / -1.3412; 36.7152