The chain that links Barclays Kenya Open and the Masters

Professional player Greg Snow lead the Kenyan team at the 48th edition of the Barclays Kenya Open which kicks off today. PHOTO | COURTESY 

By CHARELS GACHERU

This weekend, some of the world’s top golfers will be at the Karen Country Club for the final two rounds of the Barclays Kenya Open, the regions most prestigious golf championship and part of the European Challenge Tour.

Now in its 48th edition, the Barclays Kenya Open has a long history, many top class golfers, including Trevor Immelman and Henrik Stenson who are both playing at perhaps the world’s greatest golf tournament this weekend— the Masters, — have participated in the championship.

Talking of the Masters, other Barclays Kenya Open ‘alumni’ playing at the Masters include Branden Grace, Vijay Singh, Ian Woosnam, Martin Kaymer, Joost Luiten and Ian Poulter.

Some may remember the epic battle for the Kenya Open title at Muthaiga in 2011 – winner Michiel Bothma had to fight off the attack of his fellow South Africans Tyrone Ferreira and Branden Grace and also that of England’s Sam Walker.

Grace went on to have a fantastic season on the main European Tour in 2012, winning the Jo’burg Open, the Volvo Golf Champions, where he beat Ernie Els and Retief Goosen in a playoff, the Volvo China Open and the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship. This weekend, he plays with the big boys at the Masters and not just as a spectator, Grace was T18 at the Masters in 2013.

But why haven’t we seen the same level of success among the Kenyan professionals? Where are our Immelmans and Luitens?

As you read this, the Kenyan delegation at the Barclays Kenya Open will be playing in the second round of the championship and they will be battling to make the CUT.

For those unfamiliar with the CUT, let me explain. The Kenya Open field includes 156 golfers, but only 60 can play into the weekend and participate in rounds three and four. Golfers, and appropriately so, refer to this ‘selection’ as the CUT. And missing the CUT is seriously horrifying thing for a golf professional.

Firstly it means you go home with ZERO earnings and secondly it means you miss the opportunity for invitations into future events. Year in year out at the Kenya Open, the large Kenyan delegations has continued to miss the CUT by a mile, perhaps this year will be different.

By the way, we have six amateurs playing in the Barclays Kenya Open as well, and while they are not competing for the 200,000 euros (Sh20m) prize kitty, they too face the CUT today. Any amateur making the CUT will be eligible to win the Kenya Open Amateur Silver Salver; this prestigious Salver was last won in 2011 by Boniface Simwa.

In that year, another amateur Collins Omondi also made the CUT alongside golf professionals Nicholas Rokoined, Greg Snow and Richard Ainley.

Nyali Golf Club’s Mathew Wahome, the 17-year old junior golfer makes his debut at the Kenya Open and the golfing fraternity is rooting for him to make the CUT today and win the Silver Salver.

So, this weekend, watch Kenya’s best professionals and amateurs battle it out at the Barclays Kenya Open and in the evening catch up with the Kenya Open graduates playing at the world’s greatest golf stage, the Masters at Augusta.

Best of luck to Wahome and Woods.