Mande, Akope test their luck at Kenya Open
Mar 07, 2007
DEO Akope and Godfrey Mande will be hoping to enter their names into record books when they start their campaign for the Tusker Kenya Open golf tournament.
By Reuben Olita in Nairobi
DEO Akope and Godfrey Mande will be hoping to enter their names into record books when they start their campaign for the Tusker Kenya Open golf tournament.
That event tees off today at the Karen country club.
Akope is making his second appearance in the event as a professional having made his pro-debut last year but failing to make the cut.
Kenyan professionals have not faired better either.
Kenya Open is the sixth richest event of the Challenge Tour and continues to attract top players from as far as Argentina and the US. Argentine players have competed in the event for over 10 years with three of them emerging winners.
The championship was first staged in 1967 as a segment of the Safari Tour that was played in Zimbabwe, Zambia and Nigeria. The event featured, among others, Vijay Singh, Severiano Ballesteros, Brian Barnes and Ian Woosnam.
Big names expected to feature from Kenya includes Jacob Okello who finished fifth last year. Okello is drawn alongside amateurs Maurice Monni and Idd Mzaki.
Ali Kimani, another Kenyan professional who has been playing in the Alpine Tour in Austria, will also feature.
The event started yesterday with Pro-Am tournament at the same venue.
DEO Akope and Godfrey Mande will be hoping to enter their names into record books when they start their campaign for the Tusker Kenya Open golf tournament.
That event tees off today at the Karen country club.
Akope is making his second appearance in the event as a professional having made his pro-debut last year but failing to make the cut.
Kenyan professionals have not faired better either.
Kenya Open is the sixth richest event of the Challenge Tour and continues to attract top players from as far as Argentina and the US. Argentine players have competed in the event for over 10 years with three of them emerging winners.
The championship was first staged in 1967 as a segment of the Safari Tour that was played in Zimbabwe, Zambia and Nigeria. The event featured, among others, Vijay Singh, Severiano Ballesteros, Brian Barnes and Ian Woosnam.
Big names expected to feature from Kenya includes Jacob Okello who finished fifth last year. Okello is drawn alongside amateurs Maurice Monni and Idd Mzaki.
Ali Kimani, another Kenyan professional who has been playing in the Alpine Tour in Austria, will also feature.
The event started yesterday with Pro-Am tournament at the same venue.