Dubois wins Kenya Open Coca-Cola Pro Am

French golfer Edouard Dubois fired 63 at the Par 72 Karen Country Club course to win the 2016 Kenya Open Coca Cola Pro Am on Tuesday ahead of the European Tour Challenge opener that tees off at the same venue on Thursday.

The exciting event that started at 11am saw 64 professional golfers take on the same number of amateurs for seven hours with Dubois who was paired with local amateur Patrick Nduati took home €600 (Ksh 67,659.35) and other goodies.

With the four days of action in his thoughts, Dubois who turned pro in 2008 and has two Challenge Tour victories under his belt, declined to speak much, only thanking organisers as he left the garlanded stage he was presented his prize.

Kenya Open chairman Peter Kanyago who also featured in the day’s event expressed confidence that the tourney will live to its billing.

“We have started well, the visitors are very proud of our course. They have enjoyed themselves as I have enjoyed myself too,” remarked Kanyago who hopes a local golfer will finally win the Kenya Open come Sunday.

“I feel great, the day was great and I hope it will be great until Sunday,” Aaron Rai of Great Britain, 21, who is accompanied by his father to Kenya where his mother was born before she left for London at 16 said after his round in the 18-hole course.

Silas Ethangatta of Karen Country Club, who tipped the youngster to perform well in the tourney adding Kenyans, will give the visitors a run for their money led by veterans like Simon Ngige.

This year’s Kenya Open has attracted over 200 golfers, an overflow to the maximum 156 required for the coveted and only Challenge Tour meeting of its kind in East Africa.

Wednesday, will be day for the Barclays Pro-AM Challenge the second of the events used as a tune-up to the main event.

-MultiChoice boost-

Meanwhile, MultiChoice Kenya (via DStv and SuperSport) announced a Ksh7.5 million sponsorship package for this year’s BKO earlier in the day

“Over Sh3million of this amount will go towards broadcast rights and production while the remaining Sh4.5 million will cover administrative costs incurred by organisers of the week-long event,” said Mr. Philip Wahome, MultiChoice Kenya Corporate Communications Manager.

“We are also for the first time setting up a DStv Premium Golf Village at the venue to benefit junior golf enthusiasts in addition to helping showcase DStv’s mix of premium content through interactive golfing activities and games for both children and adults,” he added during the presentation of the package in Karen.

SuperSport East Africa General Manager, Auka Gecheo confirmed they will be flying in renowned SuperSport Golf Presenter Richard Maspero to be part of the tournament’s production team.

Maspero is a regular feature in the Sunshine Tour of South Africa and has covered the Four Golf Majors for the firm based in that country.

“We will also fly in golf production experts from South Africa to Nairobi to oversee the production of the tournament.

“The production will be edited to a 52-minute show that will be aired on SuperSport channels a week after the tournament. We will also run daily updates on our rotating news channel, Blitz for the duration of the event that has grown to become highlight of the sporting calendar not only in Kenya but also in the entire continent,” Gacheo stated further.