Kenya Open

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

Magical Kenya Open

Tournament information
Location	Nairobi, Kenya
Established	1967
Course(s)	Muthaiga Golf Club
Par	71
Length	7,228 yards (6,609 m)
Tour(s)	European Tour Challenge Tour Safari Circuit
Format	Stroke play
Prize fund	US$2,500,000
Month played	February
Tournament record score
Aggregate	263 Justin Harding (2021)
To par	−21 as above
Current champion
Darius van Driel
Location map
Muthaiga GC Location in Kenya

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

Year	Tour[lower-alpha 1]	Winner	Score	To par	Margin of victory	Runner(s)-up	Venue	Ref.
Magical Kenya Open
2024	EUR	Darius van Driel	270	−14	2 strokes	Joe Dean Nacho Elvira	Muthaiga	[6]
2023	EUR	Jorge Campillo	266	−18	2 strokes	Masahiro Kawamura	Muthaiga	[7]
2022	EUR	Wu Ashun	268	−16	4 strokes	Aaron Cockerill Thriston Lawrence Hurly Long	Muthaiga	[8]
2021	EUR	Justin Harding	263	−21	2 strokes	Kurt Kitayama	Karen	[9]
2020	EUR	Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic						[10]
2019	EUR	Guido Migliozzi	268	−16	1 stroke	Adri Arnaus Louis de Jager Justin Harding	Karen	[11]
Barclays Kenya Open
2018	CHA	Lorenzo Gagli	273	−11	Playoff	Jens Fahrbring	Muthaiga	[12]
2017	CHA	Aaron Rai	267	−17	3 strokes	Adrien Saddier	Muthaiga	[13]
2016	CHA	Sebastian Söderberg	270	−18	3 strokes	Romain Langasque	Karen	[14]
2015	CHA	Haydn Porteous	271	−17	Playoff	Brandon Stone	Karen	[15]
2014	CHA	Jake Roos	278	−10	1 stroke	Adrien Bernadet Lasse Jensen Pedro Oriol	Karen	[16]
2013	CHA	Jordi García Pinto	272	−12	1 stroke	Tim Sluiter	Karen	[17]
2012	CHA	Seve Benson	274	−10	Playoff	Lasse Jensen	Muthaiga	[18]
2011	CHA	Michiel Bothma	270	−14	2 strokes	Tyrone Ferreira	Muthaiga	[19]
Kenya Open
2010	CHA	Robert Dinwiddie	272	−12	3 strokes	Julio Zapata	Muthaiga	[20]
Tusker Kenya Open
2009	CHA	Gary Boyd	271	−13	4 strokes	Andrew Butterfield Philip Golding	Muthaiga	[21]
2008	CHA	Iain Pyman	272	−12	3 strokes	Thomas Feyrsinger	Karen	[22]
2007	CHA	Edoardo Molinari	274	−6	1 stroke	James Kamte	Karen	[23]
2006	CHA	Johan Axgren	270	−10	4 strokes	James Hepworth Gary Lockerbie	Karen	[24]
2005	CHA	Daniel Vancsik	272	−8	3 strokes	Michael Kirk	Karen	[25]
Kenya Open
2004	CHA	Marc Cayeux	270	−10	Playoff	Leif Westerberg	Karen	[26]
2003: No tournament
Sameer Kenya Open
2002	CHA	Lee S. James	265	−19	3 strokes	Titch Moore	Muthaiga	[27]
Tusker Kenya Open
2001	CHA	Ashley Roestoff	271	−13	Playoff	Andrew Sherborne	Muthaiga	[28]
2000	CHA	Trevor Immelman	270	−14	4 strokes	Henrik Stenson	Muthaiga	[29]
1999	CHA	Maarten Lafeber	265	−19	3 strokes	Erik Andersson	Muthaiga	[30]
1998	CHA	Ricardo González	272	−12	Playoff	Jacob Okello	Muthaiga
Lonrho Kenya Open
1997	CHA	Jorge Berendt	268	−16	4 strokes	Sammy Daniels	Muthaiga
Kenya Open
1996	CHA	Mike Miller	272	−12	Playoff	Phil Harrison Robert Lee	Muthaiga
1995	CHA	James Lee	265	−19	5 strokes	Thomas Bjørn Chris Williams	Muthaiga
1994		Paul Carman	276	−8	Playoff	Glenn Ralph	Muthaiga
1993	CHA	Craig Maltman	276	−8	Playoff	Peter Harrison Daniel Westermark	Muthaiga	[31]
Standard Chartered Kenya Open
1992	CHA	André Bossert	272	−12	1 stroke	Craig Maltman	Muthaiga	[32]
1991	CHA	Jeremy Robinson	269	−15	5 strokes	Paul Affleck Philip Golding Sandy Stephen	Muthaiga
555 Kenya Open
1990	SAF	Christy O'Connor Jnr	271	−13	2 strokes	Chris Platts	Muthaiga	[33]
1989	SAF	David Jones	271	−13	3 strokes	Mark Mouland	Muthaiga	[34]
1988	SAF	Chris Platts	271	−13	1 stroke	Mark Mouland	Muthaiga	[35]
1987	SAF	Carl Mason	275	−9	Playoff	Gordon J. Brand Roger Chapman Martin Poxon	Muthaiga	[36]
1986	SAF	Ian Woosnam	273	−11	Playoff	Bill Longmuir	Muthaiga	[37]
1985	SAF	Garry Harvey	278	−6	1 stroke	Brian Waites	Muthaiga	[38]
1984	SAF	José María Cañizares	277	−7	Playoff	David J. Russell	Muthaiga	[39]
Benson & Hedges Kenya Open
1983	SAF	Ken Brown	274	−10	1 stroke	Jeff Hall	Muthaiga	[40]
1982	SAF	Eamonn Darcy	274	−10	1 stroke	David Jagger	Muthaiga	[41]
1981	SAF	Brian Barnes	274	−10	1 stroke	Bernard Gallacher Sandy Lyle	Muthaiga	[42]
1980	SAF	Brian Waites	271	−13	1 stroke	Bill Longmuir	Muthaiga	[43][44]
1979	SAF	Maurice Bembridge (3)	271	−13	Playoff	Bernard Gallacher	Muthaiga	[45]
Kenya Open
1978	SAF	Seve Ballesteros	274	−10	1 stroke	Bernard Gallacher	Muthaiga	[46]
1977	SAF	Liam Higgins	283	−1	1 stroke	Gary Smith Bob Wynn	Muthaiga	[47]
1976: No tournament due to economic problems								[1]
1975		Gary Smith	276	−12	Playoff	Jack Newton	Muthaiga	[48]
1974		David Jagger	274	−14	1 stroke	Malcolm Gregson	Muthaiga	[49]
1973		Jan Dorrestein (2)	276	−12	1 stroke	David Jagger	Muthaiga	[50]
1972		David Llewellyn	279	−9	2 strokes	Peter Tupling	Muthaiga	[51]
1971		Ernie Jones	283	−5	Playoff	Russell Meek	Muthaiga	[52]
1970		Jan Dorrestein	273	−15	14 strokes	Malcolm Gregson Ronnie Shade Bob Tuohy	Muthaiga	[53]
1969		Maurice Bembridge (2)	279	−9	5 strokes	Bernard Gallacher Simon Hobday (a)	Muthaiga	[54]
1968	AGC[lower-alpha 2]	Maurice Bembridge	289	+1	2 strokes	Terry Westbrook	Karen	[55]
1967	FEC[lower-alpha 2]	Guy Wolstenholme	279	−9	4 strokes	Peter Thomson	Muthaiga	[56][57]

See also

• Open golf tournament

Notes

1. AGC/FEC − Asia Golf Circuit/Far East Circuit. CHA − Challenge Tour; EUR − European Tour; SAF − Safari Circuit.
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.

References

1. Quick, Tina; Quick, Jonathan; Burdick, Robert (1993). Rhinos in the Rough:A Golfers Guide to Kenya. Kenway Publications. ISBN 9966464662.
2. "Seven events in F-E circuit". The Straits Times. Singapore. Reuter. 10 April 1967. p. 17. Retrieved 12 March 2020 – via National Library Board.
3. Boey, Francis (29 December 1967). "Club members pay for Fisher's trip". The Straits Times. Singapore. p. 18. Retrieved 7 July 2020 – via National Library Board.
4. Walubita, Moses Sayela (1990). Zambia Sporting Score. Multimedia Publications. p. 166. ISBN 9982300393 – via Google Books.
5. "European Tour Announces Expansive Global Schedule for 2019". European Tour. 29 October 2018.
6. "DP World Tour: Darius van Driel claims maiden title with two-shot victory at Magical Kenya Open". Sky Sports. 25 February 2024. Retrieved 25 February 2024.
7. "DP World Tour: Jorge Campillo completes impressive two-shot victory at Magical Kenya Open". Sky Sports. 12 March 2023. Retrieved 12 March 2023.
8. "DP World Tour: Ashun Wu cruises to victory at Magical Kenya Open after Ewen Ferguson blows lead". Sky Sports. 6 March 2022.
9. "Flawless Harding takes title in Kenya". European Tour. 21 March 2021.
10. "Kenya: Rescheduled Magical Kenya Open Now Cancelled". ESPN. Associated Press. 10 September 2020. Retrieved 19 September 2020.
11. "Migliozzi wins Kenya Open for first European Tour title". Golf Channel. Associated Press. 17 March 2019. Retrieved 16 June 2020.
12. "Gagli triumphs in Kenya epic". European Tour. 25 March 2018.
13. "Tears and cheers as Rai wins in Kenya". European Tour. 26 March 2017.
14. "Soderberg reigns supreme to become Kenyan king". European Tour. 20 March 2016.
15. Bishumba, Richard (13 April 2015). "South African Porteous wins Kenya Open". The New Times. Retrieved 12 March 2023.
16. "Roos let loose to claim Kenyan title". European Tour. 9 March 2014.
17. "Garcia Pinto claims Kenyan title". European Tour. 17 February 2013.
18. "Benson wins play-off for Kenyan victory". European Tour. 1 April 2012.
19. "Bothma crowned the king of Kenya". European Tour. 3 April 2011.
20. "Hot putter paves the way for Dinwiddie's success". European Tour. 28 March 2010.
21. "Gary is Boyd by Tusker Kenya Open success". European Tour. Retrieved 7 February 2020.
22. "Hot Pyman wins the Tusker Kenya Open". European Tour. Retrieved 7 February 2020.
23. "Molinari Stages Remarkable Recovery to win in Kenya". European Tour. Retrieved 8 February 2020.
24. "Axgren Moves to Number One with Victory at the Tusker Kenya Open". European Tour. Retrieved 8 February 2020.
25. "Vancsik Charges through to Tusker Kenya Open Title". European Tour. Retrieved 8 February 2020.
26. "Cayeux Continues his Comeback in Style at the Kenya Open". European Tour. Retrieved 8 February 2020.
27. "James bridges six year gap with victory in Kenya". European Tour. Retrieved 8 February 2020.
28. "Roestoff pips Sherborne in Kenya playoff". European Tour. Retrieved 8 February 2020.
29. "Immelman is king in Kenya". European Tour. Retrieved 8 February 2020.
30. "Lafeber secures maiden title in Nairobi". European Tour. Retrieved 8 February 2020.
31. "Craig Maltman". The Daily Telegraph. 8 February 1993. p. 39 – via Newspapers.com.
32. "Scotland's Craig Maltman". The Daily Telegraph. 27 January 1992. p. 37 – via Newspapers.com.
33. "Golf". The Glasgow Herald. 29 January 1990. p. 21.
34. "Jones in his prime - after 20 years". The Glasgow Herald. 13 February 1989. p. 17.
35. "Chris Platts". The Glasgow Herald. 15 February 1988. p. 12.
36. "Carl Mason". The Glasgow Herald. 2 March 1987. p. 11.
37. "Longmuir is pipped by Woosnam". The Glasgow Herald. 10 March 1986. p. 9.
38. "Kenya victory regains Harvey his tour card". The Glasgow Herald. 11 March 1985. p. 19.
39. "£3200 cost of Russell lapses". The Glasgow Herald. 12 March 1984. p. 21.
40. "Surprise win for Brown". The Glasgow Herald. 14 March 1983. p. 18.
41. "Ireland's Eamonn Darcy". The Glasgow Herald. 15 March 1982. p. 15.
42. "Scots trio finish top in Kenya". The Glasgow Herald. 16 March 1981. p. 19.
43. "Plaster puts out Lyle". The Guardian. 17 March 1980. p. 23.
44. "Golf". The Guardian. 17 March 1980. p. 25.
45. "Miss from three feet costs Bernie title". The Glasgow Herald. 19 March 1979. p. 20.
46. "Gallacher loses by one shot". The Glasgow Herald. 11 March 1978. p. 31.
47. "Torrance (78) crashes". The Glasgow Herald. 14 March 1977. p. 16.
48. "Gary Smith". The Glasgow Herald. 3 March 1975. p. 16.
49. "Jagger wins from Gregson". The Glasgow Herald. 5 March 1974. p. 4.
50. "Dorrestein 12 under par". The Glasgow Herald. 12 March 1973. p. 4.
51. "Shade third after a 7". The Glasgow Herald. 10 April 1972. p. 5.
52. "Nairobi". The Times. 19 April 1971. p. 7.
53. "Scotland's Ronnie Shade". The Evening Times. 6 April 1970. p. 13.
54. "Bembridge keeps Kenya Open golf title". The Canberra Times. Vol. 43, no. 12286. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 15 April 1969. p. 23. Retrieved 22 September 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
55. "Kenya Open". The Age. 23 April 1968. p. 24.
56. "Wolstenholme wins golf". The Age. 25 April 1967. p. 24.
57. "G. B. Wolstenholme". The Glasgow Herald. 24 April 1967. p. 6.

External links

• Coverage on the European Tour's official site
• Coverage on the Challenge Tour's official site
• Kenya Golf Union home page at the Wayback Machine (archived 24 November 2009)

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