Kenya’s sports journalists were on Friday taken through rigorous paces ahead of the 56th edition of the Magical Kenya Open golf championship (MKO) set for Muthaiga Golf Club in Nairobi on February 20-23.
The paces- which involved course practical sessions, rules and regulations and the golf jargon centered around the “gentleman’s game” to prepare the scribes for effective coverage of the upcoming DP World Tour event that has attracted 144 players from around the world.
The workshop,.sponsored by Absa Bank Kenya, brought together member scribes of Sports Journalist Association (SJAK) at the 9-hole Golf Park course.
During the sessions, journalists received vital technical tips from Kenya’s renowned international referee Vincent Wang’ombe, veteran golf writer Larry Ngala of Nation Media Group and 1998 Kenya Open’s runner up Jacob Okello.
Okello performed amazing stunts in the1998 edition of the Kenya Open at the par 71 Muthaiga Golf course that propelled him to second overall position; after he lost to Ricardo Gonzalez of Argentina in the play offs.
Absa Bank Kenya Communications Manager Yvonne Nkirote underlined:
“This is the third year we are partnering with SJAK and we are happy to be part of their growth and development. We appreciate the fact that they go out of their way to inform, educate and entertain the public in all fronts.”
Wangombe underscored the role the media plays in disseminating information to the public.
According to Wang’ombe, the Rules, Handicapping and Development Manager -Africa at the R&A, media is vital in this era of instant access to information from platforms like X, TikTok and Facebook, “as it connects players with fans.”
“The media can also play a key role in demystifying the game of golf and democratizing the game. All through the years, the game has been viewed as a past time or hobby for older people. This should not be the case; golf can be played by anyone from the age of 4 to 94 years,” said Wang’ombe.
This is the third time Absa has partnered with SJAK in educating journalists ahead of the Kenya Open.
This year’s Magical Kenya Open presents a platform for a star-studded entry of Tour pros who will play alongside Kenyan amateurs and highflying amateurs.
Haotong LI, from China, who won the recent Qatar Masters is among the big names to watch this year, alongside Spaniard Hidalgo Angel.
Angel and Haotong are entered in Category 3, a preserve of winners of Race to Dubai Ranking Tournaments with a prize fund equal to or above US$ 2M between 2023-2025.
The Kenya Open, currently titled as the Magical Kenya Open, was founded in Kenya founded in 1967.
The title has been won by some of Europe’s Ryder Cup golfers, including Seve Ballesteros, Ian Woosnam, Ken Brown, Edoardo Molinari and Christy O’Connor Jnr, as well as future Masters champion Trevor Immelman. The most successful player is Maurice Bembridge, who recorded three victories between 1968 and 1979.
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