Absa Bank Kenya has announced it will sponsor four professional golfers from Team Kenya in the 2022 edition of the Magical Kenya Open (MKO). The competition will be held from March 3rd to March 6th at the Muthaiga Golf Club. The professional players that will benefit from the sponsorship are Simon Ngige, David Wakhu, Mohit Mediratta and Daniel Nduva. Each player will get an initial cash token of Ksh. 200,000.
The Ksh. 3 million sponsorship will assist the Pros in meeting tournament costs such as registration, caddie payment, and the provision of necessary items such as shirts, gloves, golf balls, etc. Absa will also provide the players with Absa-branded kits for the duration of the MKO tournament, in addition to the above sponsorship.
In addition to the sponsorship, sponsored players have the opportunity to earn an additional Ksh. 1,000,000 in bonuses based on their performance. Absa will pay a player Ksh. 200,000 if they make the cut, an additional Ksh. 100,000 if they make the cut while in the top 20, and a bonus of Ksh. 700,000 if any player finishes in the top 10.
Speaking on behalf of the professional players, Mohit Medirrata thanked Absa for their support over the years and urged Kenyans to rally behind them as they prepare to compete in the tournament. “We are grateful to Absa Bank for this invaluable support and promise to make the country proud in this tournament,” he said.
Speaking during the sponsorship announcement, Absa Bank Kenya Ag. Marketing and Corporate Relations Director Moses Muthui stated, “As a bank, whose purpose is bringing possibilities to life, we stand behind our local Pros who have done extremely well to make it to the final entry list. We fully understand what these players need to achieve their ambitions in the right way, which is why we want to take it a step further by motivating them to give their best performance yet and fly the Kenyan flag even higher.”
With a prize purse of Ksh. 226 million (USD 2 million), the 2022 MKO draws over 150 golfers from Kenya and around the world, including 8 Kenyan professionals, 6 Kenyan amateurs, and 2 regional players. Last week, Absa Bank Kenya committed Ksh. 56 million as the Official Presenting Partner to the 2022 MKO, as part of their long-term commitment to sports and the development of the local golf fraternity in the country.