Safaricom has announced that it will once again sponsor the Magical Kenya Open, the premier golf tournament in Kenya.
Safaricom will invest Ksh. 11 million in the sponsorship deal for this year’s Magical Kenya Open that is scheduled for Thursday 9th to Sunday 12th March at the Muthaiga Golf Club.
As the official technology partner, Safaricom will provide a media centre and Internet connectivity in key functional areas, as well as devices and airtime for communication support.
“Once again, we are proud to be sponsoring the Magical Kenya Open after successfully taking part in the event last year. Sports sponsorship remains an important area for us because of its ability to uplift and transform lives. Over the last eight years, with the exception of 2019, Safaricom has delivered first class Internet and data solutions to support the media and enable livestreaming of the event across local and global channels,” said Peter Ndegwa, CEO, Safaricom.
This year’s edition has attracted over 156 golfers from across the world, including 8 Kenyan professionals (pros) and 6 amateurs. The total prize money stands at Ksh. 249 million ($2 million).
Safaricom will also provide additional financial support of Ksh. 1.2 million to six participating Kenyan players. They include Njoroge Kibugu, Daniel Kiragu, John Lejirma, Adel Balala, Jay Sandhu, and Dennis Mara.
Among the key international golfers set to participate in the tournament is defending champion, Ashun Wu from China. He is confident of retaining his title after last year’s stellar performance, which saw him pick up his fourth DP World Tour win by 4 strokes.
“Safaricom has for long been one of our major partners. This year we are equally proud to have them on board as one of our key Internet providers to support the media and enable fans to live stream the tournament. Last year, we were treated to a thrilling performance by Njoroge Kibugu who raised the Kenyan flag high, and we hope this year it will be no different as we expect an excellent performance from team Kenya,” said Patrick Obath, Tournament Director, Magical Kenya Open.
The 2023 Magical Kenya Open is part of the DP World Tour and comes barely one week after Hero Indian Open. It also marks the second time the European Tour has been held at the prestigious Muthaiga Golf Club.
Besides the Kenya Open, Safaricom also sponsored the Magical Kenya Ladies golf tournaments held in February this year. Last year, it launched the Safaricom Golf Tour with the aim of nurturing and growing new talent in the sport across the country.