Local golfers seek to end title jinx in the competitive Kenya Open tournament

0

Dismas Indiza

In 2011 Indiza, who was most people’s bet to contest for the title after he had won the 2010 KCB Golf Tour order of merit, failed to even make the cut after the first two rounds. However, Indiza believes he is in a better form this year and will leave a lasting impact at the country’s premier golf event.

“Last year was disappointing for me. I was one under on the second round going into the 13th hole but shockingly posted eight shots on the par three 13th hole and that was the end of my tournament.

“I shot three balls into the water, but I’m optimistic that I will perform better this year,” said Indiza who finished in position 11 in 2010 after enjoying the lead in the early rounds.

The Kenya Open title has been elusive to the local professionals since the competition started and it will be interesting to see if they will be able to finally break the duck.

Professional Golfers of Kenya (PGK) Chairman Charan Thethy believes it is a matter of time before a Kenyan conqueers the tournament. However, he admitted that will not be an easy assignment for any of the locals on parade today.

“The local professionals have come of age and are capable of winning the title because they have had a number of events at the Muthaiga Golf Club course this year. But like any other sport they too need a lot of competitions because the more you compete the more you become good,” said Thethy.

He added: We will be facing some of the best players in the world who play in 38 tour events around the world.

“They play very competitive golf week in, week out and it is going to be a really tough championships, but we have a slight advantage of playing at the same venue under similar conditions and anything can happen.”

The closest a local player has ever come to winning the title was in 1998 when Jacob Okelo tied at the top with Argentine Ricardo Gonzalez on the final day and the winner had to be decided on a sudden death playoff.

A total of 22 local professionals including Okelo will represent Kenya. Others are Greg Snow, who has recovered from a shoulder injury and was among the only two locals who made the cut last year. The other local pro who made the cut last year was Nicholas Rokoine.

Meanwhile, organisers were doing final touches at the course yesterday as the Pro Am competition went on where a large field of 200 players had been attracted.

Foreign players were seen practicing at the putting green, waiting for the big day. With the weather expected to be sunny, it will be anybody’s game as the best talent in local golf blend together with their foreign opponents in a battle of the bragging rights, which comes along with a Sh3 million prize to savour for the winner.

By James Waindi, The Standard

Send your news stories to [email protected] Follow News Ghana on Google News

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here