Indiza leads local pros for Kenya Open

Mumias Sugar’s Dismas Indiza, Windsor Golf Club’s Riz Charania and Thika’s Simon Ngigeare among top Kenya professional golfers leading a contingent of 19 Kenyan professional golfers who have been confirmed to take part at this year’s Barclay Kenya Open Golf Championship at the Muthaiga Golf Club from 22nd to 25thMarch, 2018.

The 19 are part of a total of 22 Kenyan professionals that the Professional Golfers of Kenya will submit to the Kenya Open. According to the Tournament Director, Patrick Obath, PGK carried out their qualification rounds and submitted the names.

“The contingent of Kenyan professionals is selected by the PGK through their own criteria and they in turn send in the names,” he said. “So far the PGK has submitted 19 names and I am expecting another three names from them shortly.”

Indiza, Ngige, and Charania, automatically qualified for the 2018 Barclays Kenya Open Golf Championship by virtue of making the cut at the 2017 tournament; while the remaining 16 have been selected through a series of qualification eventsthat havebeen organized by the Professional Golfers of Kenya (PGK) over the last three months.

Others who have been confirmed areGolf Park’s Tom Omuli, David Wakhu and veteran golfer Jacob Okello; Muthaiga’s Greg Snow, Nicholas Rokoine, KopanTimbe and Frank Matilo; Sigona’s John Wangai; Vet lab’s Brian Njoroge, Nelson Simwa and Matthew Omondi; Nyali’sNjugunaNgugi; Railways’ Alfred Nandwa; Els Club’s Stefan Andersen; Royal’s Erick Obura and Great Rift’s Justus Madoya.

Commenting on the Kenya Open Pre-Qualificaiton round slotted for Monday the 19th of March, 2018 at Vet Lab Sports Club, Obath said it is the Kenyan professionals who stand the best chance to grab the 3-slots on offer there.

“The Pre-Q will be held Vet Lab and on offer are an additional 3-slots in the 2018 Barclays Kenya Open. I believe our local golf professionals are best suited to claim all of these slots,” he said. “So in theory, we can expect to have 25 Kenyan professionals playing next week.”

In addition to the Pros, four Kenyan amateur players have been selected to play at this year’s Kenya Open; with two others being invited from Uganda and Tanzania to complete the roster of six amateur players slots allocated to the Kenya Open Golf Limited.

The four include Vet Lab’s Edwin Mudanyi, Muthaiga’sBhavnishChandaria, Royal’s Dennis Saikwa and Nyali’s Daniel Nduva. Tanzanian Victor Joseph and Ugandan Ronald Rugumayo complete the local amateurs list for this year’s tournament.

Indiza, who made his Kenya Open debut in 1996 at the Muthaiga Golf Club and whose best score came in 2008 when he finished T10 with a gross score of 5-under 279, will be a favorite going into this year’s tournament where expectations are high from local supporters.