The third leg of the Safaricom Golf Tour will take place at the Muthaiga Golf Club this weekend, March 12 to March 13, 2022. The tournament has attracted over 200 amateur and professional golfers who will be taking part in the 18-hole, corporate tournament on Saturday with over 100 junior golfers set to grace the course on Sunday.
The Junior Golf tournament will also double up as a US Kids Golf local tour event, which kicked off with the Limuru leg of the Safaricom Golf Tour two weeks ago.
“We have seen some exciting action over the first two legs of the inaugural Safaricom Golf Tour, especially with the junior tournaments. We also continue to hold clinics for young aspiring golfers as we look to demystify the sport and position it as one that is accessible. We already saw the impressive performance at last weekend’s Kenya Open from teenage golfer Njoroge Kibugu who started playing at age 6 which shows that our focus on growing junior golf is certain to bear fruit, Said Peter Ndegwa, CEO, Safaricom.
The history of golf in Kenya and how Safaricom is changing the narrative
The Muthaiga leg of the tour comes just a week after the club played host to the 2022 Magical Kenya Open which was won by Chinese pro golfer Ashun Wu. The club has also signed a one-year deal with Safaricom for branding rights in some sections of the club for the next one year.
“We are pleased to host Safaricom here at the Home of Golf and we are proud to see how the company is committed to nurturing and growing talent in this sport. I believe with such commitment to our juniors, we are destined to becoming a better-golfing nation,” said Ronald Meru, Chairman, Muthaiga Golf Club.
Safaricom has invested Ksh. 100 million in the golf tour, which aims at nurturing and growing talent in the country. The tour will be played in 14 golf clubs across the country.
Safaricom launched the Safaricom Golf Tour on January 22 at the Golf Park, Ngong Race Course. The 14-leg golf series officially kicked off in Nanyuki on January 29. Two legs have been played in Nanyuki and Limuru and will be also be played in golf courses in Muthaiga, Nyanza, Nyali, Eldoret, Karen, Machakos, Kericho, Kitale, Royal Nairobi, Nakuru, Kenya Airforce and Vet Lab. The grand finale will be held at the Vipingo Ridge Golf Resort in August, 2022.
Cyprian Bundi, a former caddie and Nanyuki based golfer, won the the first leg of the Safaricom Golf Tour at the Nanyuki Sports Club. Limuru based junior golfer Leo Gitonga emerged as the overall winner of the second leg of the Safaricom Golf Tour which was held at the Limuru Country Club course from Saturday 26th to Sunday, 27th February.
Last year, Safaricom announced a three year partnership with the Junior Golf Foundation (JGF) to help nurture and grow golf in Kenya. The partnership also saw the introduction of a US Kids Golf Local Tour Competition which will give qualifying golfers opportunities to play in regional, international and world championship competitions organized by the US Kids Golf Foundation.
The company has also recently sponsored the Magical Kenya Ladies Open and Magical Kenya Open.