KCB Karen Masters: What’s What
The Sunshine Tour extends its wings to Kenya’s capital City of Nairobi to stage its first ever event –the KCB Karen Masters – in that part of the continent. The event will be staged at the 81-year-old Karen Country Club from 19 – 22 July.
The tournament is sponsored by the Kenya Commercial Bank and boasts a prize-fund of R2million and the winner will earn the right to wear the Karen Masters Blue Jacket.
The format:
The competition will be decided over 72 holes of stroke play. After 36 holes there will be a cut to the leading 60 professionals and ties. Four-Ball Alliance with two scores to count on each hole. The tournament will be preceded by a Pro-Am event on Tuesday and Wednesday.
The field:
156 players. 100 spots are allocated to Sunshine Tour players and 38 sports to ProGolf Kenya (PGK) players while other spots are taken up by players from other African countries including Malawi, Ethiopia, and Ghana among others.
The defending champion:
Will Besseling of the Netherlands is the defending champion but is not in the field to defend this week: He won the tournament by 12-under-par 132 to win the Blue Jacket last year under a different banner.
The course:
Founded in 1937, Karen Country Club prides itself for being one of the oldest golf clubs in Kenya. The course is superbly maintained with greens built to the PGA standards. Karen Country Club is arguably the best maintained golfing facilities in the region.
It stretches over 6000 yards covering some of the most scenic terrains Karen has to offer. The layout presents a challenge to even the most seasoned golfer, usually forcing the use of every club in the bag. The fairways are tight in some spots and open in others. Well-positioned bunkers guard the holes and landing zones throughout course, placing a premium on accuracy. From the well-manicured fairways and plush rough to the meticulously cared for undulating greens, The Karen Country club delivers a visual treat as well and there is no doubt that the club not only offers the total golf experience- but can be hailed as one of the iconic and standout courses on the continent.
A large part of the 18-hole course was built on the former coffee estate developed by the Danish pioneer, Karen Blixen, whose life and times were depicted in the lyrical film ‘Out of Africa’. Indeed, the shade trees from her coffee plantation still dominate parts of the golf course, over 80 years after they were planted.
The course is a par 72 layout and a challenging 6,341 metres (6,934 yards) in length from the championship tees.
The form player:
Having won for the third time in about two months when he claimed his maiden Asian Tour title – the Bank BRI Indonesia Open – on Sunday, Justin Harding is surely on fire and he will be the player to beat in Kenya. He claimed back-to-back wins in May in the form of the Investec Royal Swazi Open and Lombard Insurance Classic at the Royal Swazi Golf Spa in eSwatini. From there, Harding went on to claim a share of the sixth position at the Sun City Challenge a month later. While the seven-time Sunshine Tour winner’s season got off to a shaky start – missing the cut at the Zanaco Masters in April – he quickly turned that around, finishing T5 at the Old Mutual Zimbabwe Open a week later and was runner-up to Rourke van der Spuy at the Mopani Redpath Zambia Open thereafter. His current form cannot be ignored and eyes will be on him at Karen Country Club.
The sentimental pick:
Neil Schietekat’s five-year wait for a second victory came to an end with that win at the Sun City Challenge in June. He started the season just as poorly, missing the cut at the Zanaco Masters and the Old Mutual Zimbabwe Open in April. He bounced back, however, at the Mopani Redpath Zambia Open where he came seventh before going to the Lombard Insurance Classic where he finished tied 33rd in May, a result that was followed by a shared 40th at the Investec Royal Swazi Open. Having tasted victory already this season, and with his ability and current confidence, Schietekat will be a real threat this week.
The bolter:
Stefan Engell Andersen remains the only Kenyan player with a Sunshine Tour card. Playing a Sunshine Tour tournament in his home country for only the first time, Andersen will surely want to produce his best performance when he tees off this week. He has only made one cut this season at the Zanaco Masters where he finished 35th but that should mean very little when the entire nation will be banking on him to impress. His current form doesn’t suggest much but it is a known fact that golf is unpredictable and to count him out might prove to be a huge mistake.
Television:
There will be no live television.
Source: The Sunshine Tour Website
