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The Nairobian

Eight pros and five amateurs to fly Kenyan flag at 2025 MKO tournament

Golf

By Ochieng Oyugi | Feb 08, 2025

Eight pros and five amateurs will represent Kenya in this year's Magical Kenya Open (MKO) golf championship set for Muthaiga Golf Club in Nairobi on February 20-23.

The 56th edition of the prestigious global golf showpiece yesterday received a Sh295 million boost from the Kenyan government through the Ministry of Sports.

The event has also received Sh6.5 million (USD 500,000) from the organisers, DP World Tour.

The local pros set to battle for a piece of the lucrative funds which will be used to cater for the prize money include sensational Njoroge Kibugu who recently topped the two-legged Professional Golfers of Kenya (PGK) MKO Qualifiers held in Muthaiga and Sigona last month.

The Muthaiga hard hitter topped the PGK Leaderboard on 15-under par 271 to book a berth in this year's MKO.

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Njoroge was the only Kenyan player who made the cut in the 2023 MKO when he was still an amateur, a feat he would love to replicate this season.

Other locals in the paid ranks who will be flying Kenya's flag high in the historic MKO are Greg Snow (Muthaiga), David Wakhu (Golf Park), Samuel Njoroge (Kenya Railway), Dismas Indiza (Mumias), Mohit Mediratta (Sigona), Riz Charania (Windsor) and Edwin Mudanyi (Vet Lab).

"I have been out for two years. I have really missed playing golf and more so the Kenya Open. This year, I'm very much ready for the sport. Now that I have come back to the limelight, I want to use the opportunity to strongly inspire the upcoming generations," Wakhu, who had a fairy tale run in the Kenya Open and in the Savannah Classic in 2021 at the Karen Golf and Country Club, told Standard Sports.

Amateurs who have qualified and will battle for glory in this year's tournament are Michael Karanga (Kiambu), John Lejirma (Kenya Railway), William Odek (Nyali), Shashwat Harish (Junior Golf Foundation) and Michael Alunga (Uganda).

Though non Kenyan, Alunga qualified for the MKO by virtue of winning the Kenya Matchplay championship.

While handing over the Government check to the MKO Local Organising Committee on Friday, Sports Cabinet Secretary Salim Mvurya praised the championship for its ability to market Kenya as top sports and tourism destination.

"The competition is more than golf; it brings the world to Kenya. It motivates and inspires young people whose dream is to pursue golf as an ultimate career," Mvurya noted.